Steal a Sailor From the Sea
by Redonkgirl99
Summary: Or, how in 13 songs, Tessa Stark angered the easily offended Sovereign, was a part of some very strange dealings with her best friend, and saved the galaxy a second time. Sequel to But I am of the Universe. Rocket Raccoon/OC.
1. Mr Blue Sky - Electric Light Orchestra

"Showtime, A-Holes."

 ** _Sun is shinin' in the sky,  
There ain't a cloud in sight  
It's stopped rainin'  
Everybody's in a play  
And don't you know  
It's a beautiful new day._**

"Just this once?"

" _Absolutely_ not."

Peter Quill gave a manly pout to his best friend, the 26 year old space pirate replying with a cheeky grin. Her smile faltered, though, as a blonde strand of her hair fell into her brown eyes and she had to huff slightly to blow it away.

"Why not?" Peter asked, the woman rolling her eyes and looking away from him.

"Because I don't trust you to not blow us all up," she replied "Besides, it's mine, so screw off."

Peter huffed and rolled his eyes before turning them to the small device in his hand; it wouldn't be long now.

"You are aware that Quill would not pester you continuously if you revealed where you acquired it," The man behind the pair interjected, Peter looking up in surprise before snapping his head to his best friend.

"See! Drax agrees with me," he exclaimed, turning in Drax's general direction and pointing. The brown eyes of the woman rolling once again as she refused to look over at him and instead focused on the item that was causing Peter so much envy.

"I would be grateful if you would inform him; his whining irks me," Drax continued, Peter dropping his arm and sighing before he turned back to the direction he'd been facing originally.

"Maybe it's one of a kind. Maybe I got it from a Kyrlorian trying desperately to woo me and so he built me this bad boy," the blonde replied, putting one of her hands on her hip and leaning the coveted item on her shoulder.

"I doubt that," the woman with green skin stated offhandedly as she fiddled with her gun.

"Thank you, Gamora," Peter replied with a grin, Gamora sending him a look.

"His whining irks me as well."

"Oh, _come_ on."

"But, just the same, I would like it if you revealed where you purchased that. If only to end Peter's complaining," Gamora added, Peter annoyance at his _friends'_ annoyance falling away as he sent his best friend an expecting look.

The woman replied with a pout; her expression not unlike her fellow Terran as she turned to the _least_ Terran person on the platform.

 _"Rocket_ , they're ganging up on me," she whined, also not unlike Peter.

"If they're so interested in your gun, then shoot 'em, Blondie."

She grinned at her raccoon-like partner, who rolled his eyes in a good-natured way when Tessa Stark cocked the Hadron Rifle.

"Now, _that's_ an idea I can get behind."

 ** _Runnin' down the avenue  
See how the sun shines brightly in the city  
On the streets where once was pity  
Mister blue sky is living here today, hey hey_**

"I thought your thing was a sword."

Tessa rolled her eyes for what felt like the fiftieth time in the past three minutes and swung her rifle around so it was resting on her back. She shoved her hands in her jacket pockets and moseyed over to where Rocket was messing with something electronic.

"They were not looking at you funny," he said, Groot continuing his fight with the tiny creatures indigenous to the planet of The Sovereign.

Tessa plopped down on the platform next to where Rocket was working and wrapped her arms around her knees in a relaxed way. Rocket sent her a quick look before returning to his work and neither of the pair sent each other any other greeting. Instead, Tessa looked out at the gold and silver platform and listened to Rocket humming what sounded like _Brandy_ under his breath.

"When do you think they're finally gonna screw?" Tessa asked conversationally, Rocket not looking up from the machine as he answered.

"Quill and Drax?"

Rocket gave a small smile as he listened to Tessa's laughter at his statement and even looked up from his work so he could fully take in the way she threw her head back in amusement.

"Oh my _god,_ could you imagine?" she said, a few straggling giggles leaving her lips "Anyway, Gamora and Peter: how long?"

"We already had this bet, Blondie; we both lost," Rocket pointed out, Tessa nodding in allowance.

"Yeah, but that was six months ago. Maybe they'll finally…" She looked over at her companion, who sent her a look that made her sigh "Yeah, you're right."

"I don't hear that coming from you often," Rocket said, Tessa snorting and grinning at him.

"Yeah, 'cause you're usually wrong."

 ** _Mr. Blue Sky, please tell us why,  
You had to hide away  
For so long  
Where did we go wrong?_**

"What're you even doing?" Tessa asked, her eyebrows furrowing as she took in a setup she _really_ hoped wasn't what she thought it was.

"Settin' this up so we can listen to some music," Rocket replied, Tessa's suspicions confirmed as she rolled her eyes for the fifty-first time.

"There's nothing better you could be doing right now?" She asked, Rocket turning to send her a look.

"I don't see you doin' much," he countered, Tessa crossing her arms petulantly.

"Peter, Rocket isn't even doing anything important: he's just setting up music!"

Rocket dropped his arms slightly and sent Tessa a betrayed look.

"Don't go tattling on me to Quill!" He said.

"Don't tell me what to do!"

"Hey, hey, no fighting," Peter interjected, both of the pair rolling their eyes "Rocket, are you really setting up music right now?"

"Yeah!"

"I actually agree with Tessa on this one; maybe you shouldn't be doing that," Peter said, Tessa's expression becoming smug.

"Oh, _right,_ totally."

Tessa's pleased façade dropped into a very indignant expression as she watched Rocket send a wink to Peter.

"Wrong eye, Moron," she said, Rocket snarling at her

"I really do agree with her," Peter added, Tessa readopting her smugness and Rocket baring his teeth at her again.

"Incoming!"

The three broke away from their conversation to watch the creature appear and head straight towards the platform that kept its precious batteries; the very batteries the Guardians of the Galaxy were doing their damnedest to protect. They observed it give a loud roar and all felt a slight sense of _foreboding_ overcome them.

"That's intense."

 ** _Hey there Mr. Blue  
We're so pleased to be with you  
Look around see what you do,  
Everybody smiles at you._**

Tessa exhaled a puff of air before hitting the button behind her ear and activating her mask; the one that allowed her to breathe in space and on planets with less than hospitable natural gases. And the mask that kept her face from becoming a mangled mess.

She then activated her propulsions and took to a high point to try to get a feel for what they were facing. At least, that's what she wanted, but this thing had a lot of long tentacles that immediately took to trying to murder them.

She narrowly managed to duck out of the way of one and she fumbled slightly trying to get her rifle around so she could start trying to do some damage. Finally she got it around and took a wild shot; the woman hoping she would get lucky and it would affect him in some way.

It seemed to do absolutely nothing against the creature's tough skin and it continued to swipe at her and her friends. After a few more attempts, she had to do a funny loop de loop midair to avoid both the creature's tentacles and a shot fired by Gamora.

"Having fun over there?!" Rocket called from his spot on the other side of the creature and a tiny bit higher in the air than she was.

"Go to Hell!"

 ** _Hey you with the pretty face,  
Welcome to the human race  
A celebration Mr. Blue Sky's  
Up there waitin' and today  
Is the day we've waited for._**

Tessa cursed as her Hadron Rifle ran out of juice; the thing was absolutely badass, but there was only so much it could do. She swung it around to her back as she considered how all of that had seemed to do _nothing_ to the creature. But, as she thought, she let her guard down for a second and the creature grabbed her ankle and threw her to the ground.

She groaned slightly and turned her mask off so she could let her forehead rest against the platform for a second. When she finally looked up, Groot was directly in front of her; busting a move to the music that was currently _just_ audible over the creature's roars.

"Hey, can you do the move I was showing you?" Tessa asked with a grin, Groot giving her a look that conveyed how her request had irritated him, but he did as she asked and managed a wobbly kick-ball change.

"That's gre _AHHHHH_!"

 ** _Mr. Blue Sky, please tell us why,  
You had to hide away  
For so long  
Where did we go wrong?_**

The creature threw her up into the air this time, and she just barely activated her boots before she went hurtling back towards the ground. She reactivated her mask and took in the seemingly unwinnable situation as she pulled her Quad Blaster out of her belt. She tried to take a few shots at the creature with that even though she knew that if the Hadron Rifle couldn't break its skin, then nothing could.

She watched as Drax went flying into the music system and Groot became angry enough to hit and kick him for it. Right about now was usually when one of them had a crazy idea that somehow managed to win the fight for them.

 ** _Mr. Blue Sky_**

Tessa watched with wide eyes as Drax took a running start at the creature and jumped purposefully into its mouth.

 ** _Mr. Blue Sky_**

Her team did not disappoint.

 ** _Mr. Blue Sky!_**

She landed alongside Peter and Gamora and shared her shocked expression with theirs'.

"He said the skin is to think to be pierced by something from the outside, so-," Gamora explained, both of the Terrans' eyes getting even larger at that explanation.

"That makes no sense!" Tessa exclaimed, throwing her arms into the air.

"I tried telling him that!" Gamora replied.

"This skin is the same level of thickness from the inside as it is from the outside!" Peter added, Gamora sending him a look.

"I realize that!"

 ** _Mr. Blue you did it right,  
But soon comes Mr. Night,  
Creepin' over, now his  
Hand is on your shoulder,  
Never mind I'll remember you this way._**

The plan was to draw him up so Gamora could get a clear shot at the cut on its' neck, but the plan also involved a good helping of not dying. Often, those two points contradicted each other. Tessa just barely dodged a tentacle by going down, but thankfully Rocket chose that moment to distract the creature and it continued to head up.

It was taking longer than Tessa would like for Gamora to take the shot, but as she watched the woman take a running start at the creature with her sword unsheathed, Tessa decided she didn't even _want_ to know.

Gamora dug the blade into the weak spot and immediately disgusting goop flowed from the deepening cut; the creature giving a horrible roar as it died.

Finally it flopped down and the others landed just in time to watch Drax slide out of the opening and yell in triumph.

"I have conquered the beast!"

Tessa and Rocket exchanged a look they were well accustomed to sharing.

 ** _Mr. Blue Sky, please tell us why,  
You had to hide away  
For so long  
Where did we go wrong?_**


	2. Southern Nights - Glen Campbell

**_Southern nights  
Have you ever felt a southern night  
Free as a breeze  
Not to mention the trees  
Whistling tunes that you know and love so  
Southern nights  
Just as good even when closed your eyes  
I apologize  
To anyone who can truly say  
That he's found a better way_**

"For educational purposes, of course."

Tessa scratched her cheek to cover the look she was sending Rocket and he replied with a look of his own that he didn't even _attempt_ to be subtle about.

That creature hadn't exactly been gentle and Tessa wanted nothing more than to return to the Milano and kick her feet up. But, _no,_ they had to listen to this lady, Ayesha, go on about how her people were so much more superior to everyone else and now Peter was kind of flirting with her. Pretty gross.

Thankfully, not long after the exchange between the couple, their bounty was revealed to them; Tessa's face staying even as she took in the woman who'd done her damnedest to murder them not too long ago. Nebula's expression clued her in that she was ready to do it again in a second.

Well, at least this meant they'd be getting out of here soon. Tessa was almost proud; no one had blown this with the Sovereign. She would've put her money on one of them saying some stupid shi-.

"You know, they told me you people were conceited douchebags, but that isn't true at all!"

Tessa's face froze with her eyes as wide as plates.

 _"Rocket,"_ she hissed through her teeth, it occurring to him.

"Oh, I'm using the wrong eye," he said, turning to Ayesha "Sorry, I didn't mean for you to see."

"Alright, time to go," Tessa stated, the others stumbling in agreement and quickly saying apologies. Tessa grabbed Rocket by the back of his collar and carried him for a second as she began to walk away.

"Hey, Blondie, put me down," he complained, Tessa dropping him in between her and Drax.

"You're lucky they don't kill us for that," she said, Rocket able to read her expression easily.

"Yeah, but it was pretty funny," he said "The look on her face…"

Tessa refused to look at him and instead looked forward and shook her head; obviously forcing down the smile creeping up onto her expression.

"I hate you."

"Sure ya do, Blondie."

 ** _Southern skies  
Have you ever noticed  
Southern skies  
It's precious beauty  
Lies just beyond the eye  
It goes running through the soul  
Like the stories told of old_**

"Ugh, Gamora, really?"

Peter chuckled slightly as he watched the exchange between Tessa and Gamora, the former holding onto the latter's sword with two of her fingers.

"It's your job, is it not?" Gamora asked, although anyone could tell she was amused by this situation.

"Yeah, to make sure all the weapons are here and working, not to clean monster goop off your sword," Tessa replied, setting it down onto the table and wiping her hand off on her jacket.

"Think of it as the blood of a mortal enemy," Gamora replied, Tessa sending her an incredulous look.

"That doesn't make it any better."

"Just, clean it, please," Gamora asked, Tessa sending her a pouty look.

"Fine, but I want you to know I'm doing this _only_ because you're my favorite person on the ship," she said, Gamora actually laughing slightly at that, especially when three other people responded.

"Hey!" Peter called from his spot in the doorway.

"Mhm," Rocket cleared his throat as he passed her on the way to the navigation, Tessa smirking slightly.

"I am Groot."

Tessa laughed and gently patted Groot to let him know she was only joking.

"Hey, you're tied for first place with Rocket, Gamora, and Drax," she promised, the small tree smiling at her.

"Dude," Peter said "You've lived with me for over seven years!"

"Don't worry, Peter, you're definitely in the top five," Tessa replied, giggling slightly.

"Nebula's on board," Rocket reminded her as he hopped up the steps.

"Top six."

Peter shook his head at his best friend.

"I'm jettisoning you."

 ** _Old man  
He and his dog that walk the old land  
Every flower touched his cold hand  
As he slowly walked by  
Weeping willows would cry for joy  
Joy_**

"Quill."

Peter jumped as Drax seemed to appear beside him and he sent the Destroyer a look. He had been enjoying the way Gamora's hips swung as she walked out of the room.

"Don't do that."

"Quill, there are two types of beings in the universe: those who dance and those who do not."

"I get it, yes. I'm a dancer, Gamora is not," Peter said, nodding slightly, thinking about his various failed attempts at romance and actually listening to Drax's words, but his mind quickly poking a hole in them "But that doesn't mean it can't work. Rocket and Tess; he's not big on dancing and she loves to."

"I was under the impression their relationship was purely physical," Drax replied, Peter opening his mouth to refute it, but finding no words. He thought through the few months where Rocket and Tessa had been a thing and, well, it felt like half the time their arguments were going to bring the entire ship down.

"Um, well, I guess I hadn't considered that," he admitted after a moment, Drax nodding.

"The only answer for how they can have such riotous disagreements and not split from each other is that there are no emotions tied to their fornication."

"Okay, I get-."

"But, I still do not grasp why she chose him to regularly make love with."

"Drax, buddy-."

"His genitalia are not suited for pleasuring a woman the size of her."

"Oh my god."

"I am surprised she did not choose her fellow Terran for coupling," Drax admitted, Peter sending him a look "Perhaps if you raised the issue with her, she'd be willing to change her choice in partner."

Peter frowned in confusion for a moment before he realized what Drax was saying.

"What? No! We could never."

"Why not?" Drax inquired "Why do you insist on longing for a woman that is unsuited for you when a woman who dances is right there?"

"Because, it's weird!" Peter replied "She's… _Tessa."_

"She enjoys music and dancing. She is Terran. She is beautiful by your Terran standards. I do not understand why you do not choose her as the object of your affection. She is pathetic as you are."

"You can't just _choose_ who you have feelings for, Drax," Peter said "There needs to be a-a _connection._ A spark."

"And you do not have one with Tessa?" Drax asked.

"Not like that!" Peter replied, Drax shaking his head sagely.

"Pathetic."

 ** _Feels so good  
Feels so good it's frightening  
Wish I could  
Stop this world from fighting  
La-da-da-da-da, da-la-da-da-da-da  
Da-da-da-da-da-da, da-da-da, da-da-da_**

Sure, Peter had considered it before, during extended space drifts when it was just the two of them. But, no sooner had the idea come to him had he rejected it. They were very similar, he'd give Drax that; they were each other's dance partners for God's sake. And, objectively, he knew Tessa was gorgeous, even non-Terrans often found her good looking (which had caused some issues in the past). But when he looked at her…

Peter took another good look at his best friend; her blonde hair was bouncing along with her head bobs. As Tessa cleaned their equipment, she sang softly under her breath. She was in a world all her own.

All he felt was the warmth of platonic feelings.

Peter pushed himself up off the doorway and headed to where Tessa was working.

"What're ya singing?" Peter asked, walking to stand at the opposite end of her worktable; Tessa sending a greeting smile.

"It's a song that came out when I was young," she said "My mom used to turn it off whenever it came on; said it wasn't appropriate. But, when it was just my dad and I, we would listen to it cranked all the way up."

Tessa smiled nostalgically and for a moment Peter thought to leave her to her reverie, but something pushed him on to speak.

"Sing it for me."

Tessa chuckled and set down the gun she'd been inspecting and thought for a moment.

"I don't remember all of the lyrics," she admitted, shutting her eyes in concentration "Something like… _Hangin' downtown by myself and I had so much time to sit and think about myself, and then there she was, like something-something-something, yeah there she was, like something-something. I smell sex and candy here. Who's that lounging in my chair? Who's that casting something stares in my direction? Mama this surely is a dream."_

Peter watched as Tessa's body swayed to the rhythm she sang and she began to dance without hesitation. Drax was right about the dancing thing, but… no spark. Then she stopped and opened her eyes to look at her friend.

"That's really all I remember," Tessa said with a shrug before she lifted up Rocket's gun to take a look at it "We need to get some modern music on this ship."

"Why? We got you to perform it," Peter said, gently knocking Tessa under the chin with his fist like he did when he was feeling particularly sentimental.

"Hey, what'd I say about messing with my stuff?" Rocket called from his spot at the navigation; neither of the Terrans able to see him, but both hearing a funny type of malice in his voice. Peter considered that maybe Rocket could sense when somebody was touching what was his.

"You said not to do it in front of other people because it might make them think that it's okay for them to do it. And then you proceeded to tell me that it's okay if I mess with your stuff because you trust me," Tessa yelled in a matter-of-fact tone "Oh, and not to tell other people what you'd said because it'd make you look soft."

Tessa smiled as there was no response, but both Terrans were able to hear him mutter something under his breath along the lines of "Oh my god, why're you like this?"

Peter chuckled slightly before he thought again of Drax's words, not the ones about how he should be the person screwing Tessa and not Rocket (he wouldn't be getting that image out of his head any time soon). The words about how his friend and their most volatile member were _just_ screwing, nothing more attached.

Had he ever seen them do anything coupley? The closest he could think of was the time he caught Tessa petting him between the ears, but even that could just be a physical thing. Maybe he'd been looking at this strange relationship all wrong and they were really just bizarre fuckbuddies.

"S-so, how's it going?" Peter asked awkwardly as he had no idea how to broach this topic.

"Well, your guns sustained the most damage, as per usual," Tessa said with an easy smile.

"No, I mean, like, between you and Rocket."

Tessa looked up from the weapon she was working on and sent Peter a suspicious look.

"Why?" She asked slowly.

"Just curious," Peter replied, Tessa looking him up and down quickly "I mean, it's an interesting, um, _dynamic_ between the two of you."

"Mhm," Tessa said "Is this gonna turn into another 'he's an r-word' lecture, because I'm really not in the mood."

"No, no," Peter reassured "Just, trying to see how everything's going with you… and him."

Tessa gave him a _long_ look and Peter began to shuffle uncomfortably under her wary gaze.

"Hey, Blondie, c'mere!"

Tessa sent Peter one last look before she dropped the gun on the table and headed off to see what Rocket wanted. Once she was out of sight, Peter dropped his head into his hands.

Wow, he was a moron.

 ** _Mystery  
Like this and many others  
In the trees  
Blow in the night  
In the southern skies_**

Tessa leaned down beside Rocket's seat to look at his screen, kind of expecting him to pull something up to show her.

"What was Quill asking you about?" He asked, his neutral tone letting her know something was up.

"Us," she replied, keeping her eyes on Rocket's screen "But, I don't know why. I don't think…"

"Yeah, no," Rocket muttered, a silence falling between the pair for a moment.

When Rocket didn't have some snappy remark about Peter, Tessa actually looked at him and took in the funny expression he had.

"What is it?" She asked, frowning slightly.

"Nuthin'."

Tessa's brow furrowed but before she could say anything, Peter took his seat in the chair that was next to Rocket's, effectively cutting off their conversation about him.

"This is weird," Peter said, Tessa giving Rocket's head a quick scratch before she moved to her seat, which was between Rocket's and Peter's but a little farther back "We've got a Sovereign fleet approaching from the rear."

"Why?" Tessa asked, taking in the readings from her screen and aware that Gamora was doing the same over her shoulder.

"Probably 'cause Rocket stole some of their batteries."

Tessa felt her eyes grow wide at Drax's words as everyone turned to look at Rocket.

"Dude!" Rocket said, sending Drax a look.

"Right. He didn't steal some of those. I don't know why they're after us, what a misery this is."

"Did you take their batteries?!" Tessa demanded, Rocket snarling at her slightly _"Why?!"_

"They were really easy to steal!" Rocket countered, the Milano beginning to make evasive maneuvers around the ships trying to shoot them.

"Oh, you are _so_ lucky I would go flying if I wasn't buckled in," Tessa hissed as the ship bounced them around "Because If I could right now I would _punch you in the face_ and I wouldn't even care that my physical strength might actually kill you!"

"Please, now is not the time!" Gamora yelled.

"Tess, where's the closest planet?" Peter asked, trying very hard to not get hit as the woman pulled out her screen and began looking.

"Some place called Berhert: five jumps," she said, her voice letting everyone know she was still _pissed_ "But, the nearest jump is in 47 clicks."

"That's not bad," Peter allowed.

"Yeah, but it's through that asteroid field," Tessa said "The statistical likelihood of being able to get through that is, um, not good… You'd have to be the greatest pilot in the universe, basically."

"Lucky for us…"

"I am."

 ** _Southern nights  
They feel so good it's frightening  
Wish I could  
Stop this world from fighting  
Da-da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da-da-da  
Da-da-da-da-da-da, la-da-da, da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da-da-da..._**


	3. Fox On The Run - The Sweet

**_I - don't wanna know your name  
Cause you don't look the same  
The way you did before  
Okay - you think you got a pretty face  
But the rest of you is out of place  
You looked alright before_**

"Jesus _Christ!"_

Tessa tightly gripped her arm rests as the ship jerked around the asteroid field. Her knuckles turned white as Rocket and Peter continued to fight over the navigation, neither willing to let the other fly.

"I've been flying this rig since I was ten years old," Peter argued, Rocket going strangely calm as he looked over at him.

"Later on tonight, you're going to be laying down, and there's going to be something squishy in your pillowcase," Rocket said, before taking control of the Milano "And it's going to be because _I put a turd in there!"_

"Oh, god," Tessa muttered, knowing it wouldn't deescalate from this.

"You put your turd in my bed, I shave you," Peter threatened, his voice cold.

"Oh, it won't be my turd. It'll be Drax's," Rocket said as Peter switched the controls back.

 _"HAHAHA!_ _I have famously huge turds!"_

"Will you just quit?!" Tessa demanded, her shoulders beginning to hurt from the way the seatbelts were digging into them every time the ship jerked in an unpredictable way "You're being ridiculous!"

"Yeah, Rocket, you're being ridiculous!" Peter parroted, Rocket snarling as he took control again.

"I'm pretty sure she's talking to you!" He replied, Peter taking control and jostling the ship so bad that Groot lost his footing on Rocket's seat and went flying back into Tessa. The blonde grit her teeth as she held him close to her; anger building as she felt the way he clung to her out of the fear he very rarely showed.

"Will one of you be the bigger man and _stop?!"_

Suddenly, the Milano stilled; the only movement being the slight natural drifting. Tessa took the opportunity to situate Groot on her before she took note of the way the two that had been arguing were engaging in a stare off.

"All yours, Quill," Rocket said, his voice offputtingly cordial.

"No, no, after you," Peter replied in a similar tone; neither of them going for the controls.

Tessa's eyes widened as a Sovereign ship came up on the rear; the mere fact they'd survived this long without hitting an asteroid was a miracle.

"The other way was better! _The other way was better!"_

 ** _Fox on the run  
You scream and everybody comes a running  
Take a run and hide yourself away  
Foxy on the run  
F-foxy  
Fox on the run  
And hide away_**

Peter was in control of the Milano when it was decided they needed to hang Drax out of the back to take care of the Sovereign ship that had been following them through the field.

Tessa managed to release the armrest and reach into her jacket pocket to pull out a small container; placing it in-between her thighs so she could pop the top off. Groot unlatched himself from her middle when he realized what she'd brought out and he quickly moved so he was sitting with the container in-between _his_ legs.

"I thought I told you to stop feeding him that crap," Rocket yelled at Tessa despite the fact he was currently piloting the ship.

"You can decide what Groot can eat when you're taking care of him and _not having a dick measuring contest with Peter!"_

"Yeah!" Peter agreed.

"Don't act superior, Quill!" Tessa practically screamed before lowering her voice "Groot, honey, don't put so many in your mouth at once."

Groot looked up at her with his cheeks filled with candy like a chipmunk, but he nodded slightly before he relaxed and leaned his head back against her stomach.

 ** _You - you talk about just every band  
But the names you drop are second hand (second hand)  
I've heard it all before  
I - don't wanna know your name  
Cause you don't look the same  
The way you did before_**

Finally, they exited the asteroid field and for one second it was calm; Tessa thanking god that they'd made it through without dying.

Then rest of the fleet showed up.

"They went around the asteroid field."

As the two men in the front were distracted by the catastrophic miscalculation they'd made, Tessa grabbed her accelerator and cranked it twice; taking control of the ship. They immediately shot off despite the damage done to the Milano. Tessa didn't care about that at this point; they just needed to make it to Berhert, even if their ride was in a million pieces when they got there.

Groot watched the surrounding chaos while popping candies into his mouth; still relaxed against Tessa despite her tense form.

For a moment she went unchallenged due to the surprise, but soon Peter's hand started to sneak towards his accelerator. Without looking away from the battlefield she was navigating, Tessa spoke.

"Oh, _try it_ , Peter! _I fucking dare you!"_

Peter's hand retreated to his lap and he looked down in the hopes not to receive more wrath from his friend. But, as he focused on that and Tessa focused on making it to the jump, neither of them noticed what Rocket saw.

A man on a ship headed towards the Sovereign was _waving_ at them.

 ** _Fox on the run  
You scream and everybody comes a running  
Take a run and hide yourself away  
Foxy on the run  
F-foxy  
Fox on the run  
And hide away_**

"None of this would've happened if you thought with what's in between your ears and not your legs!"

"My penis could grow a hand and it would be a better pilot than Rocket."

Tessa said nothing while the argument erupted around her. She instead chose to lie on the wreckage of the ship with her legs hanging over the edge and her feet flat on the ground. Her hair was fanned out around her head and Groot sat in the midst of it, playing with the blonde strands as everyone screamed at each other. She kept her eyes shut and tried to focus on keeping her calm.

She'd managed to make the jump, but the Milano was badly damaged and it'd taken everything to get to the planet. Now, they had a ship that was broken in half and a team that was having trouble talking to each other in voices lower than a certain decibel.

"Well, Tessa was the one who _crashed."_

Her eyes snapped open and she sat up suddenly, Groot holding onto her collar as she did and sitting down on her shoulder once she was upright.

 _"I_ was the one who crashed the ship?" She asked, her voice deadly calm as she spoke to Rocket _"Me?"_

"You were the one piloting when the ship crashed," Rocket replied, Groot looking at Tessa and then copying the glare she was sending Rocket "Gotta 'nother definition?"

"I crashed due to the fact that the ship was halfway destroyed. And do you know _why_ the ship was like that?" She asked _"Because you couldn't stop being a gigantic dick!"_

"Yes, see, Tessa's right," Peter agreed, Tessa not breaking her glare with Rocket as she spoke.

"Drax, punch Peter."

"Ow!"

Even when Peter was on the receiving end of some much deserved physical pain, Tessa and Rocket didn't break. It was only after an uncomfortable silence did anyone else say anything.

"Did anyone see what stopped the Sovereign?" Gamora asked, her voice conveying how tired she was.

Rocket broke the glare and turned to look at Gamora, Tessa only glaring at him a moment longer before turning her attention to Gamora as well.

"A little one inch guy on a ship destroyed the entire fleet," Rocket said.

"A little one inch man saved us?" Gamora asked incredulously.

"Well, if he got closer I'm sure he'd be much larger," Rocket added casually.

"That's how eyesight works, you stupid raccoon."

 _"Don't call me a raccoon!"_ Rocket yelled, his rage now completely at the surface.

"I'm sorry, I took it too far," Peter said, his tone _too_ sincere "I meant trash panda."

It was quiet for a moment.

"Is that better?" Rocket asked, turning to look at Tessa as he spoke but the Terran not responding; she just continued to stare at Peter with wide eyes and her mouth slightly agape. If that wasn't damning enough, though, everyone heard Peter's poor attempt at whispering.

"It's worse, it's _so_ much worse."

Before Rocket could leap and attack Peter, Tessa woke from her shocked stupor and stopped him by grabbing the back of his suit. Rocket snarled and wriggled free before turning around to face Tessa with his teeth bared.

 _"Keep pissing me off, watch what happens!"_

Before Tessa could yell back, her (and the rest of the team's) attention was caught by a ship. It wasn't like any Tessa had seen before and in her seven years of space traversing, she'd seen quite a few. It was white and pod like; it had none of the roughness most ships that belonged to people who lived in the stars had. But, it also didn't have the harshness of a military grade ship; it looked like what Tessa imagined the alien 1% to travel in.

The front of it opened to reveal a bright light and two figures who exited the ship and came towards them. One was a woman with black eyes and antennae (a less sensitive person would describe her as bug-like) who held herself in a self-conscious way. The other was a man who looked to be later on his life by Terran standards, which seemed to be a fair way to judge seeing how he looked rather Terran.

"After all these years, I found you."

Tessa and Rocket shot each other a quick look; both of them in a tense stance with their weapons gripped tightly in their hands. Even if they were yelling fiercely at each other moments before, they still had each other's backs.

"And who the hell are you?" Peter asked, voicing everyone's question.

"I'm your dad, Peter."

 ** _F-foxy  
Fox on the run  
You scream and everybody comes a running  
Take a run and hide yourself away  
Foxy is on the run  
F-foxy  
Fox on the run  
And hide away  
(Fox on the run)_**


	4. Wham Bam Shang-A-Lang - Silver

**_Starry nights, sunny days  
I always thought that love should be that way  
Then comes a time that you're ridden with doubt  
You've loved all you can and now you're all loved out_**

"I haven't seen a Human woman since the last time I saw Meredith!"

Ego placed his hands on Tessa's forearms and smiled at her with a level of wonder. His astonishment wasn't the most surprising thing in the world; Tessa was fairly certain she was the only full-Terran to have made it this far out in the universe. But, the smile Tessa wore was not sincere and instead was a plastered remnant of the old days when she had to entertain old men as the "Sane Stark."

"Man, if you don't take your hands off me, _I'll_ take them off," she said, not dropping her smile and cordial tone despite her words.

"And feisty! I like her!" Ego said, but doing as she said and removing his hands "How did you get all the way out here?"

"Ravagers," she said simply, Ego's expression becoming understanding.

"Ah, they're known for picking up the pretty ones."

"I helped them repair their ship," Tessa replied, finally stopping the act and speaking in a deadpanned tone.

"Well, I'm glad Peter found himself a smart Terran woman," Ego said, Tessa humming slightly and moving to sit down while they began their conversations.

Under other circumstances, she probably would've refuted the possible connotations of Ego's words, but anyone who looked at her could tell;

Tessa was _pissed._

The way she sat back against a log with her arms crossed paired with a sour expression clued everyone in on what she was feeling. Especially since she elected to sit between Drax and the girl that'd traveled with Peter's father instead of next to Rocket or Peter.

Ego began to go on about his planet, but not once did her expression change; not even when he referred to Rocket as a triangle faced monkey. Usually, when someone said something like that she'd at least send the offender a dirty look. Her complete lack of reaction was disconcerting.

Once Ego walked off to, in his words, 'take a whiz,' Peter leaned slightly to speak to Gamora.

"I'm not buying this."

Instead of answering, Gamora grabbed his arm and started to pull him along after her before she paused and looked back at the remaining Terran. Tessa rolled her eyes and hefted herself up off the ground to follow the other two. As the trio left to have a private conversation, not one of them noticed the way Rocket's eyes followed Tessa before he sighed slightly.

 ** _Oooh-oooh baby, we've been a long, long way  
And who's to say where we'll be tomorrow  
Well my heart says, no  
But my mind says, it's so  
That we've got a love  
Is it a love to stay?_**

For the first time since Ego's arrival, Tessa spoke without being prompted by someone else.

"Do you… Do you mean David Hasselhoff?"

Gamora didn't seem that troubled by the fact that she'd said "Zardu Hasselfrau," and shrugged off the correct pronunciation. She instead went on with her point; saying that Peter should give Ego a chance. Peter struggled with the dilemma of whether or not to trust the man claiming to be his father and he soon turned to his most trusted advisor.

"Tess, what do you think?" Peter asked, Tessa looked up from the woodland ground and giving Peter a 'deer in the headlights' look.

"I don't know."

Both of the others sighed and sent Tessa a look, which made her throw her arms up defensively.

"Would you please stop pouting and help?" Gamora asked, only intensifying Tessa's pout.

"God, fine. Worst case scenario?" She asked, Peter shrugging.

"He's not my dad and is pulling some scam."

"Best case?"

"He's my dad and he's great and we go on space adventures together," Peter said with a completely serious expression, Tessa conveying that he had his answer there. Gamora nodding slightly.

"She's right; the good outweighs the bad."

The trio exchanged looks; all of them nodding slightly as they knew that was that.

It was decided.

 ** _We've got a wham, bam shang-a-lang  
And a sha-la-la-la-la-la thing  
Wham bam shang-a-lang  
And a sha-la-la-la-la-la thing_**

"So, Rocket and Groot will stay here to keep an eye on Nebula and fix the ship," Peter said, Tessa nodding in agreement as the pair stood a little bit away from the group and planned what they would do next "Gamora, Drax, and I will go with my… dad." He seemed to have trouble getting the word out, but he did nevertheless.

"I'll stay and-."

"No, no, no," Peter protested, shaking his head as he did "You're coming with me."

"Why?" Tessa asked, her brow furrowing "Wouldn't it be more useful if I stayed behind and helped with the repairs?"

"Probably. But, I need you with me. You can't expect me to deal with this on my own," Peter said, Tessa frowning slightly.

"But, you wouldn't be alone, Gamora and Drax…" Tessa seemed to run out of steam as Peter gave her a look "Yeah, I see your point."

Tessa sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose as she thought. Silence fell between the pair for a moment as she considered her options.

"Tess, I can't do this without my best friend."

Tessa opened her eyes to send Peter a dirty look, which he responded to with a hopeful look.

"Fuck you," she murmured before speaking up "Fine."

"Yes," Peter said, fist pumping and earning a slap in the arm for it.

"Don't think this means I'm not still pissed at you for the shit you and Rocket pulled, because I still am," Tessa said, her words tinged with amusement that let Peter know that she wouldn't be for long.

"Hey, so long as we stick together, what can't we kick in the ass?"

Tessa smiled reluctantly and shook her head slightly at her best friend's antics.

"You're a moron," she said, fist bumping Peter despite her words.

Neither of them noticing that they were being watched by _two_ people.

 ** _Looking at you I wanted to say  
I think a little emotion goes a long, long way  
Careful now don't get caught in your dreams  
Look out baby this is not what it seems_**

"I'm guessing you heard the plan."

"Sure did."

Tessa sent Rocket a concerned look as he continued to work on the Milano without even sparing her a glance. She looked away from him and readjusted herself slightly so she was a little bit more comfortable sitting with her back leaning against the ship.

"I'm gonna go to Ego's planet," she pressed slightly, looking out of the corner of her eye in the hope that would warrant a reaction of some type.

"'Course you are."

For a moment it was quiet before she really considered his words and the corners of her mouth turned down slightly.

"What does that mean?" She asked, turning her head to look at him now.

Rocket snorted and continued on with his work.

"Don't act dumb, Theresa."

Tessa's mouth opened slightly as her brow furrowed. She turned her body so she was fully facing him so she could catch any small body language that might help her understand what was happening.

"What is going on with you, Rocket?" She demanded, making him roll his eyes "Seriously, what the _hell?"_

Rocket dropped his hands to his side before facing Tessa and giving her an unimpressed look.

"'Course you're goin' with Quill."

Tessa's eyes widened as his words sank in and he turned back to his work. For a moment, she tried to make sense of what that meant before it clicked.

"Are you _jealous?"_ She asked incredulously.

"No, just statin' the facts," Rocket said casually "When do you not choose Quill?"

"I'm not choosing Quill or anything like that," she said with the ghost of a smile, reaching out to place her hand on Rocket's arm "I'm just making sure my friend isn't getting conned. You got nothin' to be jealous of."

"I got nothin' to be jealous over."

A heavy silence filled the Milano and Tessa's hand dropped from his arm and into her lap. It felt like eons before the silence was broken.

"You don't mean that," she said, her voice low "I _know_ you don't mean that."

"Believe whatever you want, Blondie," Rocket said indifferently.

Tessa stood suddenly and walked off towards what remained of her bunk.

She wasn't going to let him see her cry.

 ** _Oooh-oooh baby, you've been so good to me  
But please don't make it what it's not  
Well, I thought we agreed on what we need  
So listen to me and I'll tell you what we've got _**

Tessa allowed herself one moment and she leaned against her closed door. She shut her eyes tight and tried to get a handle on her emotions, but she couldn't help that her tears were beginning to overflow. She shook her head as she realized that stewing in this was only making the tears come faster and she pushed herself off the door and walked over to her bunk. They continued to roll down her cheeks slowly as she tried to deny their existence in the hopes that if she didn't acknowledge them, they'd stop.

She dropped down to her knees before she reached under her bed and she began to feel around for the duffle of spare clothes she had prepared. Instead of feeling the soft material of her bag, though, she felt something metal and hard. She frowned slightly at the unfamiliar object and pulled it out into the open.

 ** _We've got a wham, bam shang-a-lang  
And a sha-la-la-la-la-la thing_**

"Jarvis, initiate protocol Eternal Sunshine."

Theresa- Tessa as Yondu had suggested, and honestly, she could use the change- Stark grabbed the bag Jarvis had packed for her and hefted it up onto the bed. She began to grab all of the stuff she'd taken out of it and shove it back in.

"You don't have clearance for that, Miss Stark."

"Override code 126-16," Tessa said as she dug under her bed for her other sneaker.

"Override code confirmed. How far back shall I wipe my memory?"

"Um," Tessa said thoughtfully, grabbing a box of granola bars and putting it into her bag; who knows what they'd have to eat in space "All the way to me getting into the car to leave the wedding. Begin the wipe once I leave."

Tessa zipped up her bag and headed towards the door before she paused; an item on the mantel had caught her attention. She grabbed the silver framed photograph from her sixteenth birthday. Her dad had finally given in to her want to not have a party and that year had just been a dinner with family and a few friends. It hadn't been a day of note, but Pepper had taken a good picture of the Starks; she and her father sat side-by-side and Maria was somehow situated in both their laps. It was one of the few photos Tessa had seen of herself where she actually looked happy.

"Miss Stark, are you sure about this?" Jarvis interrupted her reverie "It would be safer if you let me remember."

Tessa looked at the photo one last time before she shoved it into her bag and grinned.

"Screw being safe."

 ** _Wham bam shang-a-lang  
And a sha-la-la-la-la-la thing_**

Tessa studied herself from ten years ago; everything was so different for her back then. The idea of saying what she felt seemed ridiculous, let alone any of the things she did in the average day now. But, as she studied the picture, her eyes strayed to her father and sister. She couldn't get on her sister, of course, she was practically a baby when she left, but when did her father stop trying? When did he decide that trying to get in was more trouble than it was worth?

Tessa felt tears prick yet again at her eyes, but this time she had no intention of pushing them down. Instead, she threw the frame across the room and buried her face in her hands as it shattered.

 ** _I think you're seeing what I'm saying  
'Cause I hear you singing to the tune I'm playing  
Now that it's said and we both understand_**

"I am Groot."

Tessa turned on her heel to face the owner of the small voice that'd spoken. She forced a smile despite the fact that all she really felt was the emptiness after a hard cry and she dropped her bag so she could easily kneel down in front of Groot. He looked up at her with wide eyes that conveyed how unhappy he was about all of this.

"Don't be sad," she murmured, Groot looking down at his feet "We'll be back before you know it."

"I am Groot."

"Hey," she said gently, Groot lifting his head and looking at her with sad eyes "When I get back, I bet we can convince Peter to take us to Xandar and we can go to that really good candy store, okay?"

"I am Groot?" Groot said, sounding a little bit happier, but not truly out of his sadness.

"I'll get you all the candy you want," she said, guessing at whatever Groot had asked "Maybe we can even get Peter to take us to one of those markets with bootleg Terran stuff and I can show you what candies I ate when I was young."

"I am Groot," he said, her promise cheering him up and she grinned at his enthusiasm.

"Hey," she said gently "I love you."

"I am Groot."

 ** _Let's say our goodbyes before it gets out of hand  
Bye, bye baby, I'd really like to stay  
But we'll remember the best time in our lives_**

"Rocket."

Tessa's voice was terse and it caught his attention as she hoped. If he noticed how her eyes were red and puffy, Rocket didn't mention it and instead put down his tools as she reached and lifted Groot off of her shoulder to pass to him. Both of them did their best to ignore the grabby hands he made for Tessa.

"Hey, I'll be right back and then Xandarian candy," she promised with a small smile for Groot, who nodded but still seemed down as he sat on Rocket's shoulder "I'll see you soon."

"I am Groot."

Tessa gave Rocket a look and readjusted her bag before she turned to go; she got a few steps before she swung back around.

"Hey," she said, Rocket nodding to let her know he was listening "If you shut people out, they stop caring."

Tessa turned on her heel and continued on without waiting for a reply from Rocket; she knew it wouldn't matter how long she stood around, she wouldn't get one.

She walked up to the group that was already heading towards Ego's ship and Peter slowed his pace to walk beside her.

"Hey, you alright?" He asked, taking in her features with a concerned expression.

"Don't wanna talk about it."

 ** _We had a wham, bam shang-a-lang  
And a sha-la-la-la-la-la thing  
Wham bam shang-a-lang_**

"I am Groot."

"You heard her," Rocket replied, ignoring the ache in his chest "She'll be back soon."

"And quit callin' her Mama."

 ** _And a sha-la-la-la-la-la thing  
Wham bam shang-a-lang  
And a sha-la-la-la-la-la thing_**


	5. Lake Shore Drive-Aliotta Haynes Jeremiah

**_There's a road I'd like to tell you about, lives in my home town  
Lake Shore Drive the road is called and it'll take you up or down  
From rats on up to riches fifteen minutes you can fly  
Pretty blue lights along the way, help you right on by  
And the blue lights shining with a heavenly grace, help you right on by _**

"You can rest and clean up here, My Dear."

Tessa sent Gamora a look as she dropped her stuff in the part of the ship that Ego had steered her to. Gamora responded with a look that ordered her to not stir up trouble.

"You as well," Ego said, _significantly_ less cordial to Gamora. Not rude, but anyone could tell he felt differently about Gamora than he did about Tessa.

Once everyone else left, Tessa walked over to the water dispenser and quickly realized that it was _very_ different from the standard. After a few moments of waving her hands in the areas where the standard had detectors, Gamora stepped forward and pressed the dark piece of metal that contrasted from the white of the ship; Tessa felt her cheeks turn pink as water immediately flowed out of the spigot and into the half circle basin.

"Shut up," she murmured without even looking at Gamora's undoubtedly amused expression.

Tessa washed her hands and splashed some water on her face as Gamora rifled through her bag. The silence between them should've been easy, but both could tell there was something going on.

"Are you alright?" Gamora asked casually.

"Well, Papa Quill is making me a little bit uncomfortable, but I don't think he's making a move, so I think I'll be okay," Tessa replied, a _force_ to her casual tone.

"I believe he thinks that you and Peter have a non-platonic relationship," Gamora said "But, that's not why I asked."

"Why'd you ask?" Tessa said nonchalantly.

"Your face was red and puffy when you exited the Milano. With your physiology, that implies you were crying," Gamora stated bluntly.

"Do you _not_ get puffy when you cry?" Tessa asked, turning to face Gamora, who sent her a look.

"Stop deflecting."

Tessa sighed and turned back to the sink to run her hands under the water despite the fact she didn't need to at all.

"… Rocket said something…"

Gamora's face softened slightly and she walked over to the basin and stuck her hands under the water as well.

"He's always saying things."

"Yeah, but that stuff… That's just teasing or bursts of anger, it's not…" Tessa looked at Gamora out of the corner of her eye "I don't always choose Peter, do I?"

"Oh," Gamora said, putting it all together "This is because of Rocket's insecurity in being your lover."

"Yeah," Tessa confirmed, looking over at Gamora "I don't, right?"

For a moment, Gamora looked at her with her mouth slightly open; searching for an answer.

"Peter and you have lived together for a very long time."

Tessa groaned and buried her face in her hands as she dropped down onto the ground in a crossed legged position. Gamora sat down beside her as she searched for words that could fix this.

"It's not surprising that the both of you have such a close connection," Gamora attempted to comfort "Anyone who spends seven years with only one other person would be as you are with Peter. Especially two people with your dispositions."

"What're you implying?" Tessa said, lifting her head from her hands and sending Gamora an incredulous look.

"You two are very sexual beings. Obviously you have been intimate with each other."

Tessa's eyes grew wide and her mouth hung open slightly; the woman momentarily gripped with complete horror.

"Peter and I have _never_ had sex."

It was Gamora's turn to be surprised.

"Not even when you two were drifting?"

 _"No!"_ Tessa replied, outraged "The most we ever did was kiss and the only reason we did _that_ was because nobody looks to closely at kissing people to see if they're the ones who just stole from them."

It was uncomfortably silent as the pair of women readjusted their outlooks on life.

"Does everybody think Peter and I had sex?" Tessa demanded, Gamora's silence answering her question.

 ** _And there ain't no road just like it  
Anywhere I found  
Running south on Lake Shore Drive heading into town  
Just slippin' on by on LSD, Friday night trouble bound_**

"Peter!"

The man in question jumped and sent his partner a frightened look.

"What'd I do?"

"It's both of us. Or everybody else. Not sure," Tessa said "Did you know that everybody thinks we had sex?"

 _"What?"_ Peter asked, his eyes wide as Tessa nodded.

"Gamora told me. I set her straight, but _Jesus."_

"Wait, is _that_ why she isn't letting the thing between us progress?" Peter asked, Tessa shrugging.

"Maybe. But it's definitely the reason why Rocket has been such a jerk whenever he can towards you; he has somewhere to base his jealousy."

"Wait, wait, Rocket's jealous of me?" Peter asked, starting to smile.

"Hey, stay on target," Tessa snapped, Peter nodding but tucking the knowledge away.

"Okay, what do you want to do about it?" Peter asked, shoving his hands in his pockets as Tessa sighed.

"I don't know, I don't know what we _can_ do," Tessa admitted as she dropped her eyes to her feet "I just feel bad. If I had known that's what Rocket thought, I would've… I would've handled that better."

"Hey," Peter said, Tessa looking up at him "Even if we _had_ had sex, that doesn't give him the right to make you feel bad. Now, give me a hug before I punch you for being dumb."

As Peter moved in for a hug, Tessa put her hands up to stop him, which made him frown.

"If we hug, people might think you proposed to me," she said in an over dramatically worried tone, Peter snorting and wrapping her in a bear hug that made her laugh.

"Looks like we're married now," he said once he released her, the pair laughing together.

Neither of them seeing that Ego's eyes were trained on them; Peter's father smiling ruefully.

 ** _And it starts up north from Hollywood, water on the driving side  
Concrete mountains rearing up, throwing shadows just about five  
Sometimes you can smell the green if your mind is feeling fine  
There ain't no finer place to be, than running Lake Shore Drive  
And there's no peace of mind, or place you see, than riding on Lake Shore Drive_**

"Quill and I have a bet."

Tessa let a small smile creep onto her features as she watched Drax and Peter interact with Ego's… daughter? Slave? Now that she was thinking about it, she should really look into that. But, for now, she could enjoy them asking about her antennae.

"I think they have to do with my abilities," Mantis said.

"Abilities?" Tessa spoke up, interested now.

"I am an Empath."

"You can read minds?" Peter asked, Mantis shaking her head.

"Telepaths can read minds, Empaths can read emotions. If I touch someone, I can feel their emotions," Mantis explained before she gently placed her hand on Peter's "You feel… Love."

"I guess, yeah, I feel a general, unselfish love for-" Peter started, already backtracking.

"No," Mantis said "Romantic, sexual love."

"No, no, I don't-" Peter started again, but Mantis cut him off.

"For her!"

Tessa scuttled to the side slightly so everyone could quite clearly see that Mantis was pointing at _Gamora,_ not her. It was quiet for a heavy moment.

 _"HAHAHAHA!"_

Peter groaned in humiliation as Drax laughed in complete amusement.

 _"SHE JUST TOLD EVERYONE YOUR DEEPEST, DARKEST SECRET!"_ He exclaimed _"YOU MUST BE SO EMBARRASSED."_

"It's not that funny," Peter tried to protest, but his words fell on deaf ears as Tessa began to laugh as well "Oh, shut up."

 _"DO ME! DO ME!"_ Drax implored, Mantis placing her hand on his shoulder and bursting into laughter.

Then, Mantis hopped up with her hand outstretched towards Gamora, who caught her wrist.

"Touch me and I will break your arm."

Mantis immediately dropped from her high and Tessa felt herself begin to feel slightly bad as she morosely returned to her seat. Once Mantis had started talking about how she could put people to sleep, Tessa leaned over towards Gamora.

"Just because you don't want her revealing that you feel emotions, doesn't mean you should be mean to her."

Gamora sent her a dark look before turning on her heel and stalking out of the room.

 ** _And there ain't no road just like it  
Anywhere I found  
Running south on Lake Shore drive heading into town  
Just slippin on by on LSD, Friday night trouble bound_**

Once Gamora had left and Peter had gone to ride out his embarrassment somewhere else, Tessa walked over to the small couch where Mantis was awkwardly sitting next to Drax's sleeping form.

"Hey, Mantis," she said gently, the woman (girl? She couldn't really tell) looked up at her in surprise before dropping her eyes to her knees again "Don't worry about Gamora, okay? She just doesn't want people to know she has feelings for Peter."

"It is okay," Mantis reassured demurely "I am used to those sorts of things."

Tessa's expression turned concerned as she realized the implications.

"Does Ego threaten you?" She asked, Mantis shaking her head.

"No, but I have met a few people and none of them liked me very much," she said "They think I'm strange and they don't like my ability."

"Well, I like you, Tessa offered "And I think your ability is _very_ cool."

Mantis smiled and looked at Tessa without raising her head; the young woman giggling slightly in what seemed to be fluster.

"Can I touch your hair?" She asked suddenly, Tessa smiling in surprise "My Master said your hair is like the woman's he talks about."

"Sure," Tessa said, reaching up to pull out her ponytail and let her hair flow free. Mantis smiled and excitedly ran her fingers over the blonde tresses, which made Tessa smile in soft amusement. But, she couldn't help but be reminded of the other young, innocent girl that had loved to play with her hair.

"It looks like a flower on my Master's planet," Mantis said, smiling wide "The ones that grow by the entrance to his home."

"Thank you," Tessa said, smiling slightly "You know, back on my planet, there are these little creatures with antennae just like yours. Though, they can't sense emotions. At least, I think."

"Oh, are they pretty creatures?" Mantis asked, Tessa thinking of her namesake before answering.

 _"Yes._ Yes, they are _very_ pretty."

Mantis smile became even wider and her hand slipped down slightly to where it was touching Tessa's cheek. All at once, all of the happiness in her features slipped away.

"What is it?" Tessa asked, forgetting about what Mantis could tell about her.

"You're _heartbroken."_

 ** _And it's Friday night and you're looking clean  
Too early to start the rounds  
A ten minute ride from the Gold Coast back make sure you're pleasure bound  
And it's four o'clock in the morning and all of the people have gone away  
Just you and your mind and Lake Shore Drive, tomorrow is another day  
And the sunshine's fine in the morning time, tomorrow is another day_**

Tessa floundered for something to say, but she couldn't come up with anything as Mantis began to cry.

"The crabby puppy broke your heart," she said, almost more tearful than Tessa had been earlier "You _love_ him and you're _afraid_ he doesn't love you back."

"Hey, hey, it's okay," Tessa said, patting Mantis on the head as she tried not to consider she was consoling someone for her _own_ feelings "I'll be alright."

"But, you're not just upset because he hurt you," Mantis said, Tessa frowning in confusion "You miss your sister."

Tessa froze as Mantis bluntly stated the feelings that she'd been trying to forget.

"You want to go see her, but you're afraid that if you go back that everything will be too different. You're afraid you won't be able to be her sister anymore."

"Mantis-."

"You're afraid she'll _hate_ you."

Mantis gasped as her hand was wrenched off the side of Tessa's face; the Terran in question holding a tight grip around the part of her forearm covered in cloth. Tessa took a deep breath as she tried to pull herself together after the airing of all of her suppressed emotions.

"I'm sorry," Mantis said, starting to cry again "Now you hate me."

"Mantis, I like you," Tessa reassured, sounding tired as she let go of Mantis's arm "Just… You can't just do that, though, okay? Sometimes people try to forget their painful emotions and they don't want it brought up."

"I'm sorry," Mantis repeated, returning her eyes to the floor.

"Mantis, I don't hate you," Tessa promised, putting her hand on hers "See?"

Mantis was quiet for a second before she gave Tessa a small smile.

"You like me," she confirmed "But, you think I'm strange."

"Yeah, well, welcome to the club."

 ** _And there ain't no road just like it  
Anywhere I found  
Running south on Lake Shore drive heading into town  
Just snaking on by on LSD, Friday night trouble bound_**

 ** _._**

 ** _._**

 ** _._**

 **A/N**

 **In the last chapter, the bit where Tessa is on Earth and talking to Jarvis takes place directly after she first meets Yondu and is going to space with him. I realized that it wasn't clear that it happened seven years before.**


	6. Bring it On Home to Me - Sam Cooke

**_If you ever change your mind  
About leaving, leaving me behind  
Oh-oh, bring it to me  
Bring your sweet loving  
Bring it on home to me, yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah)_**

"We should probably head back soon."

Rocket looked up from his plate to the blonde Terran sitting across from him at the table. Tessa had finally mastered the ability to use the traditional Aris food utensils without cutting herself on the sharp edges and she was now putting away her dinner.

"I's not like they're gonna leave without us," he countered, returning his attention to his orange food of indiscernible origin.

The pair were sitting in a smoky restaurant that Tessa had insisted on going to. Rocket had been enjoying the lazy morning in the shitty hotel room and hadn't wanted to leave, but he couldn't help but enjoy their breakfast. This wasn't the type of establishment he'd frequent; he figured that he'd be kicked out on his ass if he tried to get in without a humanoid companion.

"Yeah, but I don't want to get back to a ship full of pissed off teammates," The companion in question said, her mouth stuffed full of her purple food that was dyeing her tongue.

"I'll be real surprised if any of them have the balls to be annoyed with you right now," Rocket said "Not after…"

"Yeah," Tessa said, giving him a small smile to let him know she was okay "But I'm already banking on that being my excuse for using Peter's units."

" _That's_ what you've been paying with?" Rocket asked, surprised but impressed "We've been living off of Peter's wallet for the past two days?"

"He's gonna be _pissed,_ " Tessa confirmed.

"Then why the hell did you choose this shithole for 'recuperating?'" Rocket demanded, Tessa chuckling as she took the last bite of her food "We coulda at least been on Contraxia, not this worldwide flea market."

"I like it here," Tessa protested good-naturedly "Where else can I get suspiciously bloody Kree armor and get harassed by a Myndai prostitute at the same time?"

"Ya got problems, Blondie," Rocket said, no true heat behind his words. He couldn't even help himself from smiling into his cup as Tessa laughed.

"Hey, Pretty Lady!" Tessa and Rocket looked over to where a male Ergon was weaving around tables to get to them, the couple exchanging a confused look.

"Do I know you?" Tessa asked, her tone already edging on rude.

"No, but I know a smart woman when I see one."

Tessa rolled her eyes and sent the red skinned man a look, waiting for the 'own a planet all your own' pitch. Or maybe 'being a prostitute will give you a better life than you can even imagine.'

"Your jacket tells me you're a woman who likes a profit," he said, ignoring Tessa's unimpressed expression "So, I'll be blunt: how much for your pet?"

Before Rocket could lash out at the asshole who was still grinning like he was some sort of not-asshole, Tessa casually grabbed her Aris utensil and flipped it in her hand.

Then she speared it into the Ergon's arm.

While the Ergon yelled in pain and a few of the surrounding patrons screeched and fled the restaurant, Tessa pulled the strap of her Hadron Rifle on and sent Rocket a smile.

"Time to go."

 ** _I know I laughed when you left  
But now I know I only hurt myself  
Oh-oh, bring it to me  
Bring your sweet loving  
Bring it on home to me, yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah)_**

No matter how hard he tried to focus on his work, Rocket's mind kept being invaded by those memories. The memories of the good times he spent with Tessa, when they were getting along and his negative thoughts subsided for a while. The moments when he felt like maybe Tessa wasn't going to drop him.

He was a realist and he knew that one day she was gonna wise up. One day she was gonna realize that she oughta be with a better guy. That she oughta be with Quill.

Rocket forced himself to let go of the Sladon before he broke it in two and screwed up even more.

It was such an awful image— the pair of them— 'cause they _fit._ For the life of him, Rocket couldn't understand why Quill never made a move. Why weren't they _married_ when he first met them? Was Quill that much of a dast idiot that he had Tess and chose to never take it further. 'Cause, they all knew those two had been screwing at _some_ point; how could they _not?_ They were lucky there weren't horrible little Tessa-Peter hybrids runnin' around the ship.

It was only a matter of time before one of them stopped being morons. Only a matter of time before Quill realized that his closest companion was beautiful and stubborn and loyal and stupid and _perfect._ Only a matter of time before Tessa realized her best friend could give everything that she could ever want.

Only a matter of time before she broke those promises she swore she'd keep; the ones Rocket liked to pretend she'd keep.

 ** _I'll give you jewelry and money, too  
That ain't all, that ain't all I'll do for you  
Oh, if you bring it to me  
Bring your sweet loving  
Bring it on home to me, yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah)_**

"Rodent."

Rocket ignored the word that Nebula had said; he didn't need to be dealing with her on _top_ of his constant barrage of self-hatred.

 _"Rodent."_

He kept his eyes on his work and didn't see the exchange between Nebula and Groot; the little tree shaking his head and Nebula clenching her jaw in exasperation.

"… Rocket."

"What?" Rocket replied tersely.

"I'm hungry."

"Well, that sucks for you."

Nebula's sigh was somewhere between annoyance and murderous. She sent a glare at Groot as she thought before the words came to her.

"You're in a bad mood. It must be because your friends abandoned you."

Rocket kept along with his work as Nebula came up with her next jab.

"You must've screwed up pretty bad. I'd be surprised if they even come back for you."

Still nothing, Nebula looking down at Groot again before an idea formed.

"And even the loud one left you behind," she said, grinning as Rocket's work slowed "What were you calling her? _Blondie?"_

Rocket was fully stilled now, Nebula sitting up before she continued.

"I didn't believe it when I heard that she'd decided on _you,_ but I have to now," Nebula said, her grin slipping away as her rage took over "I'll make sure that when I slaughter you and your friends, you live longer than her. I'll make sure that you get to see the agony she'll feel as I break every bone in her body before I split her-."

A loud clang echoed through the ship and Rocket whipped around to see that Groot kicking an unconscious Nebula's head after he threw a bucket at it. Rocket quickly ran forward and hefted the struggling baby up into his arms; Groot yelling and trying to escape to attack Nebula again.

"Groot! Groot! Calm down!" Rocket yelled "She ain't gonna do that!"

 _"I Am Groot!"_

"I know she's a murderer, but you know I ain't gonna let her!"

Groot began to slow his struggles and go limp in Rocket's arms; the paternal figure realizing that Groot was shaking slightly.

"I am Groot." Rocket swallowed hard at Groot's upset tone.

"I know you're scared Tess won't come back, but you know she's smart and can throw down. Nothin' is gonna happen to her," he promised.

"I am Groot," Groot said, moving in Rocket's arms so he was facing him.

"Tessa'll come back, you'll see; nothin'll take her away from you."

"I am Groot," his voice was small now, Rocket sighing at the words.

"I miss Mama too."

 ** _You know I'll always be your slave  
'Til I'm buried, buried in my grave  
Oh honey, bring it to me  
Bring your sweet loving  
Bring it on home to me, yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah)_**

Hours had passed and Rocket now found himself humming along to a familiar song as he waited for the inevitable.

 _Southern nights  
Just as good even when closed your eyes… _

_"…I apologize to anyone who can truly say, that he has found a better way."_

 _Rocket watched as Tessa twirled; his work forgotten now that a new entertainment had presented itself. Watching Tessa dance around the room was more amusing than any piece of junk he found at the dump. He'd only been on this rig for a few weeks and this was the first time he'd seen her like this. Not the dancing and singing, he'd seen that plenty of times; she wasn't dressed the way she usually was. He'd only ever seen her in full-blown Ravager regalia, but today she'd decided against that. She'd kept with her normal pants and boots, but now wore her undershirt unbuttoned and tied up so it exposed her abdomen; her only other clothing being her sports bra._

 _She did another spin and a piece of her hair came loose from the messy blob her hair was in on top of her head. Her voice continued to do it's best to follow the patterns of Glen Campbell as she danced._

 _"Mystery, like this and many others in the trees."_

 _Instead of finishing the verse, she suddenly turned and practically threw herself onto the table Rocket was sat at. Her face was only a few inches from his and he frowned as he tried to figure out why she was smiling hopefully at him. After a second, it clicked and he sent her a look. She continued to smile and Rocket sighed before opening his mouth._

 _"Southern nights…"_

 _She laughed gleefully at the fact she managed to get him to sing and leaned forward to nuzzle into his cheek and give him a quick peck before she returned to singing and dancing around the room._

 _Rocket didn't even try to hide his own happiness._

 _"They feel so good it's frightening…"_

 _… Wish I could  
Stop this world from fighting_

Rocket sighed as he heard the twig snapping he'd been expecting; he fully pushed away that memory and readied himself.

It was show time.

 ** _One more thing  
I tried to treat you right  
But you stayed out, stayed out at night  
But I forgive you, bring it to me  
Bring your sweet loving  
Bring it on home to me, yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah)_**


	7. Come a Little Bit Closer - Jay&Americans

**_In a little cafe  
Just the other side of the border  
She was just sitting there givin' me looks  
That made my mouth water  
So I started walking her way  
She belonged to bad man Jose  
And I knew, yes I knew I should leave  
When I heard her say, yeah_**

"It's _beautiful."_

Tessa's eyes were wide as she took in the pastel flora that covered every inch of the world. The planet they'd arrived at was unlike any she'd ever seen and she'd seen _paradises._ But, this place… Her mother would make her go to church as a child and so she was well acquainted with all of the bible stories. In all her years of knowing them, though, she'd never been able to properly visualize the Garden of Eden. At least, not until now.

"Well, thank you, Darling," Ego spoke up, breaking Tessa out of her reverie "It is me, after all."

"What?" Tessa demanded, tearing her eyes from the gorgeous planet to look over at Ego.

"This planet is an extension of myself," he said, seeming slightly amused by Tessa's reaction "Don't worry; I'll explain everything to you and you're friends once we land."

"You better," Tessa said "'Cause it's really rude to tell a girl that you're a planet and then leave her hanging."

Ego laughed a full laugh and Tessa couldn't help the small smile that started to work itself up onto her features.

"I like you," Ego said, waving his finger at her and making Tessa give a small chuckle.

The ship set down outside what seemed to be a palace; Ego smiling at the way Tessa's eyes widened as she took it in. He held out his elbow for Tessa, who sent him a look before puffing a piece of her blonde hair out of her eyes; the young woman slipping her arm through his.

 ** _"Come a little bit closer  
You're my kind of man  
So big and so strong  
Come a little bit closer  
I'm all alone and the night is so long"_**

Everything was the worst.

He was stuck in this cell with the knowledge that not _only_ were the Ravagers going to murder him, but they were also tormenting his greatest friend.

And the guy who he wanted to _strangle_ was currently far away and now had every chance to make a move on the woman that Rocket…

Everything was the worst.

"I been hearin' a thing or two about you and the girl I picked up."

Oh, and there was _that_ too.

"Fascinating," Rocket replied, covering his nerves with a deadpanned tone.

"Heard that the reason a certain bar on Contraxia don't stand no more was 'cause a Krylorian was getting a bit too handsy with her," Yondu continued on "That the reason half of Carmondy IV burnt down was 'cause someone went and put a muzzle on you."

Rocket grunted as he tried to force the memory of that last occurrence away, but was unable to block out the image of Tessa making that fucking torture device into a Molotov Cocktail variant. Or, as Rocket liked to call it, the hottest thing he'd ever seen in his life.

"And then there's all that business on Ba-Banis."

Yondu flashed his uneven and occasionally golden teeth when Rocket's head snapped to him.

"Don't think I don't know about all that, boy. I got my eyes on those two Terrans," he said, relishing in Rocket's obvious unease "I know when somethin' goes down with either of them. 'Specially somethin' like that."

"Why?" Rocket asked, his tone suspicious.

"I picked her up off that rock, I best mind her a little," Yondu replied "She'd still be stranded on that backwater planet if it weren't for me."

"Why'd you do that?" Rocket asked, his voice becoming deadpanned "She good for thievin'?"

"Naw, I figured Quill could use some lady company of the permanent type," Yondu said, observing the way Rocket clenched his fists and scowled slightly "Didn't work the way I thought it would; they ain't like that. Seven years and all she got eyes for is you."

Yondu forced down a smile at the way Rocket flashed a look at him and then quickly looked away as he considered that information.

"Prolly 'cause you remind her of her Daddy," he added, Rocket's face screwing up slightly.

"That's healthy."

"And you're the expert in all things healthy, huh?" Yondu said, making him roll his eyes "I wouldn't worry about it; you're less of a jackass than him."

"I'm thinkin' she'd say the opposite right now," Rocket muttered, Yondu's laughter causing him to jump.

"You gone and pissed her off, haven't you?"

When Rocket scowled and refused to answer, Yondu let out another full laugh.

"You done it now, boy. She ain't gonna let you off the hook easy like. Ain't in her nature."

"Ain't in her nature to do nothin' easy like," Rocket grunted, Yondu chuckling.

"Good thing you picked that up quick; she gonna make your life real difficult."

"Yeah," Rocket replied quietly, much more interested in his feet now "It's worth it, though."

The cell was silent as Rocket contemplated Tessa and Yondu contemplated Rocket. This kid cared a lot about his girl, Yondu could tell that much, but a familiar wall was around him; keeping him from what Yondu knew would make him happy.

"Don't matter," Rocket said suddenly "She's on the other side of the galaxy. With that good for nuthin' Star Munch and his stupid Dad."

 _"What?"_

 ** _So we started to dance  
In my arms, she felt so inviting  
That I just couldn't resist  
Just one little kiss so exciting  
Then I heard the guitar player say  
"Vamoose, José's on his way"  
Then I knew, yes I knew I should run  
But then I heard her say, yeah_**

"This is weird, right?"

Gamora looked over at Tessa, whose muttered tone had implied she wasn't even sure. She relaxed a touch when the green woman nodded; the Terran nodding as well in an attempt to convince herself she wasn't delusional.

But, she was right; there was something _wrong_ about all of this.

Ego was telling them about how Peter had come to be, how he'd found Earth and fallen in love with Meredith Quill, and how he was very far from human. But, with every reveal, Tessa felt more and more on edge about this whole thing. Something about the way Ego spoke about who he was and how he encountered people made her uneasy. There was something very… distant about it.

"Mantis will show you to your rooms while I speak to Peter."

Ego smiled at them and Tessa forced one in return, a rather convincing one seeing how she'd spent so much of her life doing that. It became slightly more genuine when she looked at Mantis, who was doing her painfully trying smile as she waited for them to follow.

Mantis led them down a lavish corridor that Tessa couldn't help but admire. Of all her time on Earth as a rich child and in space as a pirate, she'd never seen a place like this.

"My Master asks you all to stay in or close to his home," Mantis said, Tessa frowning slightly.

"Isn't this planet an extension of himself?" She asked, Mantis continuing her forced smile as she nodded an affirmative "Then why does he want us close? He'll always know where we are."

Mantis's expression didn't change and she just nodded instead of answering, which did not help Tessa's current apprehension.

"This is Drax's and this is Gamora's," Mantis said, gesturing to two rooms across the hall from each other. The other two sent Tessa looks which she quelled with a reassuring one of her own; the Terran continuing to follow Mantis down the passage until they reached the end, where Mantis stopped.

"This is yours and Peter's room," she said, Tessa's lips pulling into a frown.

"Why're we sharing a room?"

"My Master believes that you are romantically linked to his son," Mantis replied, her face still pulled into an uncomfortable looking smile. Tessa sighed at this information; it wasn't surprising, but it was a pain in the ass. And a bit confusing, honestly, and she pointed the reason why.

"But, you know we're not," She said "Why don't you just tell him that you empathed that Peter and I aren't like that?"

Mantis stared at her with her frozen cordial expression for a long moment before she turned and walked away, leaving Tessa to stand in the doorway of her room with the knowledge of what she'd seen in Mantis's eyes.

 _Fear._

 ** _Come a little bit closer  
You're my kind of man  
So big and so strong  
Come a little bit closer  
I'm all alone  
And the night is so long_**

"Pst! Hey twig, come'ere!"

Rocket sighed as Groot looked up at them from outside their cell; poor guy looked absolutely defeated after his run in with the Ravagers. Maybe it was a good thing that Tess hadn't stayed with him, 'cause just thinking about whatever shit they might've tried to pull with her made his fur stand on end.

He listened to Yondu explain his fin to Groot, already foreseeing how well this was gonna go. Soon enough, Groot had returned and proved his suspicions right.

"That's my underwears," Yondu said, Rocket sighing.

"Yeah, I was pretty sure he didn't know what you were talking about," he admitted "You have to explain more carefully."

"It's a _prototype_ fin," Yondu reiterated, Groot running off before he could finish.

"I'm sure this is gonna go better," Rocket said, deadpanned as Yondu sent him a dirty look.

This time, Groot returned with a _very alive_ creature.

"That's an Orloni. It's a fin, Groot!" Rocket exclaimed.

"You explain this time," Yondu said, Rocket sighing and sitting down on the ground across from Groot.

"I need you to focus," he said seriously "I don't wanna tell you this, but I gotta; Mama's in trouble." Groot's face screwed up in anger as Rocket put up his hands to keep him from yelling "I know, I know. But, listen. If you can go get this _red, prototype fin,_ like the one Yondu wore on his head, then we can get out of here and go help her."

 _"I am Groot!"_

Rocket appreciated his passion, but there was still a 90% chance he was gonna come back with the completely wrong thing. He rubbed his eyes in exasperation before reopening them to find Yondu sending him a funny look.

"What?" He hissed.

"Mama, huh?"

"Shut up."

 ** _Then the music stopped  
When I looked the café was empty  
Then I heard José say  
"Man you know you're in trouble plenty"  
So I dropped my drink from my hand  
And through the window I ran  
And as I rode away  
I could hear her say to José, yeah_**

"You know, when I heard about the one they called Star Lord, I didn't hear about his Lady."

Peter raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise as he threw back the small ball of light that his father had tossed him. He hadn't expected this conversation to go here, but now that it was… He didn't really want to let his dad know that the woman he apparently had "romantic, sexual love" for seemed to not care about his feelings.

"Well, you know," Peter said, shrugging "Those sorts of things don't get spread around that much."

"I gotta say, Peter; you found a keeper," Ego said, the light doing a perfect arch in the air before landing in Peter's hands "And I'm not just biased because she looks like your mother."

Peter paused right after he threw the light, frowning in confusion as he wondered if his mom was _greener_ than he remembered.

"She shares my River Lily's hair," Ego said fondly "Although, I suppose a Daisy is a more apt comparison."

 _Yellow._

He thought that he and Tessa were-.

"Dad-," Peter started, ready to completely shut down his father's untrue beliefs.

"Peter, does she sing with you?" Ego asked, Peter floundering slightly.

"I mean, yeah, but-."

"I remember driving down the highway with your mother," Ego said nostalgically "She had Brandy turned all the way up. And she knew every word."

 _"Hey."_

 _Peter looked away from the vast darkness of space and over to his closest friend, who had just taken a seat in the chair to his right._

 _"Hey," Peter replied, not quite as energetic as usual._

 _"You alright?" Tessa asked, Peter shrugging slightly "Yeah, I get that."_

 _Quiet filled the cabin of the Milano as they both contemplated the galaxy out in front of them._

 _"I don't know how to make you feel better," Tessa admitted after a moment "But, we could listen to another song off the new mixtape?"_

 _Peter looked over at her and grinned, which she returned as he leaned forward to press play; both prepared to hear another song that Meredith had selected for him._

 _There's a port on a western bay  
And it serves a hundred ships a day  
Lonely sailors pass the time away  
And talk about their homes_

 _"I know this one," Tessa giggled softly._

 _"Yeah?" Peter asked, feeling his upset overshadowed by the warmth of his mother's music and the closeness with Tessa._

 _"And there's a girl in this harbor town, and she works layin' whiskey down," Tessa sang, Peter grinning at how the lyrics easily fell from her lips "They say, Brandy, fetch another round. She serves them whiskey and wine."_

 _Peter hopped up and grabbed her hand so he could pull her up into a twirl, Tessa giggling as they both began to loudly sing along._

 _"The sailors say: "Brandy, you're a fine girl" (you're a fine girl). "What a good wife you would be" (such a fine girl)."_

 _"Yeah, your eyes could steal a sailor from the sea!"_

Maybe… Maybe he'd been looking at this all wrong. Maybe what everyone had been telling him had been _true._ Why should he be chasing after a woman that might never acknowledge the feelings between them? Why should he be chasing a woman that didn't dance?

He was an idiot!

A woman who danced was right in front of him! One who sang Brandy!

A woman like his mother!

 ** _Come a little bit closer  
You're my kind of man  
So big and so strong  
Come a little bit closer  
I'm all alone  
And the night is so long_**


	8. My Sweet Lord - George Harrison

**_My sweet lord  
Hm, my lord  
Hm, my lord_**

 ** _I really want to see you  
Really want to be with you  
Really want to see you lord  
But it takes so long, my lord _**

"No, no, no, no, no. I am _not_ doing that again."

Peter felt his eyebrows nearly hit his hairline at the vehement words his new companion had just spat out.

"Oookay," he said, placing down the jet attachments and sending her a look.

"I tried to wear those things and I went _flying._ And _not_ in the way I intended," Tessa said "Yondu laughed at me for _twenty minutes."_

Peter chuckled slightly at her words, which gained him a shove.

"Shut up, you asshole," Tessa said aggressively.

"I'm not laughing at you," Peter protested, putting his hands up in both a show of faith and so he could block her if she attempted another push "I was just remembering the first time I tried these. I ran into a tree and knocked myself out for ten minutes."

Tessa seemed to simmer down slightly and she put her hands on her hips.

"Yeah?" She asked, more open to whatever Peter had to say.

"Yeah. Yondu's not too great at teachin' and all that. But I can teach you _without_ making you into an idiot."

Tessa sighed as she considered it; her brown eyes ran over the jet boot attachments as her hand ran through her hair.

"You promise I won't hurt myself?" She asked.

"Well…"

"I won't hurt myself _much?"_

"Yes, I promise that one," Peter said, Tessa gnawing on her lower lip before nodding. Peter grinned before kneeling down in front of her.

"Raise your foot," he requested, Tessa doing as asked and grabbing onto his shoulders as he attached one of the jets "The other."

Once everything was set, Peter stood back up and grinned at Tessa, who gave a weak smile in return.

"Now, here."

Peter held Tessa's hands in his before activating _both_ sets of jets; the pair lifting off the ground together. They held steady and weren't too high up in the air, but Tessa's nails began to dig into Peter's hands slightly.

"Hey, hey, see? We're fine. Completely fine," Peter comforted, Tessa taking a deep breath and nodding slightly "Now, I'm going to let-."

 _"Don't you dare!"_

"Okay, okay," Peter reassured, slightly frantic as well due to Tessa's mood "We can just stay like this."

They flew a few feet higher, but as they ascended, Peter could feel Tessa's grip begin to loosen until they were at the peak and she was hardly holding onto him. Finally, they began to descend back towards the Earth and soon had their feet on solid ground. Peter shut off their jets and for a few moments, they continued to hold hands as Tessa caught the breath she'd lost due to adrenaline.

After those moments passed, Tessa dropped his hands and she practically launched herself at him; pulling Peter into a tight hug. She quickly realized what she was doing and pulled back, clearing her throat.

"Sorry."

"Don't be," Peter said, pulling her into another hug.

 ** _My sweet lord  
Hm, my lord  
Hm, my lord_**

 ** _I really want to know you  
Really want to go with you  
Really want to show you lord  
That it won't take long, my lord (hallelujah)_**

"Drax!"

Peter jogged to catch up with his large friend, who gave him a look that conveyed how he was already not amused in whatever Peter had to say.

"You were right," Peter said once he stood across from him.

"I am in most things. What do you speak of?" Drax asked.

"About Tessa and me; you were right. We belong together. I've been wrong."

"Pathetic," Drax supplied.

"Yeah, sure. I-."

"Moronic," Drax added, cutting Peter off.

"I mean-."

"Utterly brainless."

" _Okay_ , I get it," Peter announced "Anyway, I need your help. How do I tell her?"

"You are close companions, I would assume it would be easy to communicate your romantic intentions," Drax replied, Peter shaking his head.

"What do I even say? 'Hey, sorry for being a completely oblivious moron for the past seven years?'"

"Yes," Drax said simply "I believe she would not be surprised by your stupidity."

"No, no," Peter said, running his fingers through his auburn curls "After seven years, I gotta- I gotta make it _romantic_ or something."

"When I told Hovat of my love for her, it was after we fought off hordes of Bilgesnipe and she was bathing in their blood."

It was silent for a moment, Peter blinking a few times.

"Well, I don't think I'm going to go with that."

Drax rolled his eyes to the heavens before looking back to Peter.

"Killing our enemies and reveling in their remains was our most treasured time together," Drax said "Do the same with Tessa."

For a split second, Peter tried to figure out what that would be, but the answer hit him almost immediately.

 ** _My sweet lord (hallelujah)  
Hm, my lord (hallelujah)  
My sweet lord (hallelujah)_**

 ** _I really want to see you  
Really want to see you  
Really want to see you, lord  
Really want to see you, lord  
But it takes so long, my lord (hallelujah)_**

The Milano was silent except for the hum of machinery; Tessa was in bed and Peter should've been. But, instead of getting his much needed beauty sleep, he was sitting in his pilot seat as he thought. Having another person on board, especially a blonde Terran woman, was raising all sorts of thoughts in his head. Specifically of another blonde Terran woman that had been very important to him.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Peter jumped as a voice sliced through the silence and he turned to watch his sleepy companion walk over to the seat to the right of his. Tessa sat down and sent Peter a small, comforting smile.

"Nice shirt," Peter muttered, referencing _his_ t-shirt that now served as Tessa's sleepwear.

"So, is that a no?" She asked, Peter's eyes returning to the stars.

"No… I…" He sighed, he hadn't talked to anyone about this in so long "My mom."

Tessa's head lolled to the side slightly at the way his voice cracked on that word, but she kept her mouth shut.

"She died… It was a while ago; when I was eight… The day I left," he said, dropping his eyes to where his hands were toying with his Walkman. Tessa's eyes followed his and it clicked into place as she looked at his treasured music player.

"She gave that to you, didn't she?" She asked softly, Peter nodding before reaching up to quickly wipe his eyes "That's… I hope she's out there somewhere and that she knows what a fantastic music taste she has."

Peter couldn't help the watery chuckle that left his lips. Tessa smiled as well, her own eyes a bit teary.

"She knew," Peter reassured her, Tessa laughing softly as he finally made eye contact with her again "Um… Your parents."

"What about them?" Tessa asked.

"W-What's their deal?" Peter asked, hoping that he managed this topic switch "Do they know that you're out here?"

"Well, my mom's dead, so she might know," Tessa said matter-of-factly, Peter's eyes widening.

"Oh, shit, sorry," he said, Tessa laughing.

"It's fine, we were never that close. She didn't give me the best mixtape of music ever, but she did give me this." Tessa grasped the chain around her neck and pulled what was on it out from under her shirt "It was hers. Dad wanted me to wear it down the aisle. Don't know why, though; they were divorced. Seems like bad luck to wear your dead-divorced-mom's wedding ring down the aisle."

"You didn't even _get_ to the aisle," Peter pointed out, Tessa throwing him a dirty look that was clearly hiding amusement "What about your dad?"

"He doesn't know where I am," Tessa offered, looking down at where she was fiddling with her mother's wedding ring "I don't think he'll even notice I'm gone."

The cabin was quiet for a moment as Peter absorbed Tessa's words.

"Well, for what it's worth," he started "If you went missing, I'd look until I found you, and then I'd punch you in the face for worrying me."

Tessa looked over at Peter and she sent him a small smile.

"That's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me," she said, her voice a full of fake emotion.

Peter rolled his eyes and flipped her off, which just made Tessa laugh.

 ** _My sweet lord (hallelujah)  
Hm, my lord (hallelujah)  
My, my, my lord (hallelujah)_**

 ** _I really want to know you (hallelujah)  
Really want to go with you (hallelujah)  
Really want to show you lord (aaah)  
That it won't take long, my lord (hallelujah)_**

"Hey, Mantis!"

The girl in question turned to face the half Terran and forced another one of her painful smiles for him.

"Hello," she said through her teeth, not understanding that she could open her mouth and smile.

"Have you seen Tessa?" Peter asked, Mantis's forced smile becoming a real one.

"You are in a very good mood," she observed "I can tell without even touching you."

"Sure am!" Peter replied, grinning "Tessa?"

"Oh, she is in your joint room," Mantis replied, reaching out to place her hand on Peter's. Her wide, genuine smile began to slip away as she felt his feelings, something Peter hardly even noticed.

"Thanks. See you later, Mantis," he said, starting to walk away as Mantis stayed frozen in her spot. She awoke from her stupor and ran slightly to catch up with him; standing in front to block him from going further.

"You should go find Gamora. She asked me to tell you to talk to her," Mantis said, her words sounding strange.

"Oh, I'll talk to her later," Peter said, nonchalantly before he attempted to side step her, but Mantis moved as well.

"Or-or, Drax! Yes, he needs to speak to you about something," Mantis offered, Peter frowning.

"I was just talking to him," he said, stepping to the other side, but once again being blocked "What're you-."

"You should go to my Master's garden behind his home!" she said, Peter's eyes widening and the man putting his hands on her forearms.

"Mantis," he said, sounding deathly serious "You're a genius. I need flowers."

Peter turned on his heel and began to walk towards the back of the house while Mantis watched with horrified eyes.

 ** _Hmm (hallelujah)  
My sweet lord (hallelujah)  
My, my, lord (hallelujah)_**

 ** _Hm, my lord (hare krishna)  
My, my, my lord (hare krishna)  
Oh hm, my sweet lord (krishna, krishna)  
Oh-uuh-uh (hare hare)_**

"Am I a freeloader?"

Peter looked away from the screen and over to where Tessa was standing in the archway. She looked uncomfortable as she looked everywhere but him and kept her arms tightly crossed.

"What?" Peter asked, his mouth full of his lunch.

"Am I a freeloader?" She repeated, Peter frowning.

"'Course not," he said "You bring in more units than I do."

"No, I mean…" Tessa sighed in annoyance, running her hands through her hair as she tried to articulate how she felt "Am I... Am I a bother?"

Peter took his legs off the table and put his bowl down as he stood up. Once he muted the Xandarian news, he walked over to where Tessa was still obstinately refusing to meet his eyes.

"What's wrong?" He asked, putting his hands on his hips.

Tessa lifted her arms up slightly before dropping them to her sides, obviously upset over something.

"I kinda got shoved into your life by Yondu, is all," she said, rubbing the back of her neck "And I know it's hard to tell him no and you obviously like living on your own and…"

Tessa's words trailed off and she gave a big sigh before shrugging as a way to finish. Peter felt at a loss for words as he considered Tessa's insecure stance.

"Tess…" He murmured "I want you around forever… You're my best friend."

Tessa looked up at him with her big brown eyes.

"Really?" She asked, Peter smiling and nodding "… You're my best friend too."

The pair smiled at each other before both realized how entirely sappy this was becoming.

"Dickhead." "A-Hole."

 ** _Now, I really want to see you (hare rama)  
Really want to be with you (hare rama)  
Really want to see you lord (aaah)  
But it takes so long, my lord (hallelujah)_**

"Rocket, come in."

Tessa released the communicator and waited for a few moments in breathless anticipation. But, like the other two times she'd tried to get ahold of Rocket, he didn't respond.

The blonde woman sighed and looked out at the planet from her spot on a balcony. But, she couldn't bring herself to enjoy the breathtaking landscape as she was too filled with anxiety. She pressed down on the button and lifted the communicator to her lips.

"Rocket, c'mon… Please don't ignore me."

She let go and held her breath with her eyes tightly shut, as if she could will Rocket to reply. But when nothing came, she released her breath and opened her eyes.

Suddenly, instead of looking at the splendor of Ego's planet, her vision was filled with the sight of red and yellow flowers. Her head whipped to the side to see Peter smiling at her.

"What?" she demanded, Peter's smile faltering slightly before it returned with full force.

"Here," he said, shaking the poorly arranged bouquet "They're for you."

Tessa frowned in confusion before taking the flowers from him.

"… Thanks," she muttered, Peter bouncing slightly and nodding. She put them down on the balcony ledge before turning to fully face him "Rocket isn't answering."

Peter frowned slightly. Not out of worry for his teammate, but because Tessa had hardly even acknowledged his gift. She was still focused on Rocket.

"I'm sure he's fine," he said flippantly, Tessa sending him a look.

 _"Peter-."_

"You and I both know he's probably sitting in the Captain's seat, laughing every time you call in," Peter said, Tessa unhappy, but knowing that was very likely.

"But, what if something happened?" Tessa asked, turning to look out at the expansive planet as she ran her fingers through her blonde tresses "And the last thing I did was be super passive-aggressive towards him."

She turned to ask Peter if she should keep trying to call him, but he was standing much closer than she'd expected and she jumped back.

"Dance with me?" Peter asked, turning on his Walkman despite the look Tessa was sending him.

 _"No!"_ She said, outraged "Rocket could be dead and you want me to dance with you?!"

"Tess, you _know_ he's fine," Peter replied, getting a little bit annoyed now "C'mon… You love George Harrison."

Tessa pursed her lips and looked away from Peter as she weighed her options; maybe if she danced with him, he'd stop being a dick.

"One dance," she said, Peter grinning.

Tessa sighed and gave her hand to Peter's outstretched one. He twirled her to the spot across from him and Tessa put her other hand on his shoulder.

Peter tried to come up with the words to tell Tessa how he felt, but he soon noticed how she was hardly even looking at him; her mind obviously a million miles away. Probably with the crashed ship and the person who was repairing it. Peter expected a bout of jealously, but instead all he felt was a bit annoyed that she was bringing down his high.

"Hey, cheer up! Things are great!" Peter offered, Tessa sending him a look.

"Peter, Rocket is _far_ away with our crashed ship and he isn't responding. _We're_ on a planet with a man we hardly know and the only way off is _his_ ship. And, his personal… _whatever_ is acting _very_ strange, like she's _scared_. Nothing is even _good."_

Peter removed his hands from Tessa and placed them on his hips as he sent her a look.

"You're ruining this," he said grumpily.

"What?" She asked "What am I ruining?"

"I'm trying to tell you something."

 _"What?"_ She demanded, more annoyed than ever.

 _"That I have feelings for you!"_

Tessa fell silent and Peter rubbed his face; this was not how he wanted things to go.

"What?" she asked, her voice soft now.

"I have feelings for you, Tess," Peter murmured "Romantic ones."

The only sound was their breaths.

"But… Mantis, when she read you…" Tessa said, sounding lost.

"Gamora's great," Peter said, ignoring the flutter in his heart when he thought of her "But, she's not right for me. Who has my back whenever things go south? Who has stuck by my side for _seven_ years? Who sings with me whenever _Brandy_ is on?"

Tessa's eyes lit up, but not with affection; with _understanding._ It was quiet for a moment before she spoke; her tone was pretty… _sympathetic._

"… Peter… We're not your parents."

Peter recoiled at the _surprisingly_ perceptive words from Tessa before he reared back up; now fully angry.

"How are we not?!" He replied, throwing his arms up slightly "At least I want to have a real relationship with you and not whatever the hell you and that raccoon got going on!"

 _"What?!"_

Any sympathy Tessa had was gone and now her voice was filled with double the anger that Peter had expected. Nevertheless, he plowed on.

"What? Are you mad I insulted your-your _fuckbuddy?_ Because there is _no_ way there is anything more than that; not with the way you two treat each other."

"Don't you _dare_ assume things about Rocket and I!" Tessa yelled, her face starting to go red "Just because we're not cooing over each other every five seconds doesn't mean that we're just _fucking!"_

"Oh, do you plan on having some life with him?" Peter's voice filled with cruel sarcasm "Some monstrous human and raccoon mixed kids? Do you lay in bed at night and imagine what your wedding is going to be like one day?"

"In fact, I _don't._ You wanna know _why,_ Peter?!" Tessa asked, Peter not considering she was angrier than he had _ever_ seen her.

 _"Why?!"_

"Because Rocket and I _are already MARRIED!"_

 ** _Hm, my lord (hallelujah)  
My, my, my lord (hare krishna)  
My sweet lord (hare krishna)  
My sweet lord (krishna krishna)  
My lord (hare hare)  
_**


	9. Flash Light - Parliament

**_Now, I lay me down to sleep  
Ooh, I just can't find a beat  
Flash light  
(oh, I will never dance!)  
Flash light  
Flash light  
Flash light  
Pararadirarararararara_**

"Have you ever seen The Graduate?"

Rocket looked over at the woman he was sharing a bed with. She was laying on her stomach and had propped herself up on the pillows and her elbows so she could be closer to eye level, since he was sitting up. Now that he could easily see her brown eyes, he took notice of the fact that _something_ was off.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Terran movie."

"Movie?"

"Visual, recorded entertainment."

"Nope."

Tessa sighed and nodded like she had suspected as much. She dropped her chin into her hands and looked away to stare at nothing in particular; her eyes pointing at the red walls while they unfocused.

"At the end, the guy interrupts the girl's wedding and they run off together. They're all excited and happy until they take a deep breath and they both realize that they have no idea what they're doing. They have no idea what comes next."

"And you're telling me this because…?" Rocket trailed off and Tessa looked over at him.

"I just took that deep breath."

Rocket scooted closer to her while she flipped so she was lying on her back. The silky sheets just barely covered Tessa, but it was hardly something she cared about in the moment; it wasn't anything he hadn't seen. Instead, she focused on Rocket, who was playing with her hair not unlike the way she'd scratch behind his ears.

"Once we get off this fucking rock, we can jump right over to Xandar and put things back to normal," he offered, Tessa frowning and sitting up slowly.

"Rocky…"

Suddenly, the door to the opulent room was thrown open and a familiar yellow being charged in. Tessa's attitude took 180 as she looked over her shoulder at the seething man. She gave a coy wave with one hand while the other held up the sheet.

"About us getting married, King Taxxu; someone beat you to the punch."

 ** _Flash light  
Red light  
Neon light  
Ooh, stop light_**

The only sound that disturbed Tessa's glooming was the rustling of the plants in the wind. Her form was tense as she sat among one of the many species of flora on Ego's planet. It was beautiful, but her mind was a million miles away.

Rocket was going to kill her.

They had promised each other to never tell anybody unless _absolutely_ necessary. It wasn't because they were ashamed, not exactly. They just knew if any member of their team found out, they would _never live it down._

But, she'd just… she'd been _so angry._ Peter was being such a dick about Rocket and she spoke without thinking. And now…

The sound of footsteps interrupted her reverie; she stiffened as she tried to make out who was coming without turning. They weren't loud and clomping, so not Drax or Peter. They weren't announcing their presence with some creepy comment, so not Ego. They weren't nervous sounding with a lot of pauses, so not Mantis.

That left one person.

Gamora sat down beside her and allowed there to be silence between them. She was allowing Tessa to dictate where this went.

"You heard all of that, didn't you?" The Terran said after a moment, looking over at Gamora, who nodded. Tessa nodded slightly and turned back to looking out at the landscape.

"It was on Ba-Banis, wasn't it?" Gamora said, her voice sounding a little bit rough "That's why we were able to leave once our ship was repaired. Why you didn't end up forced into a marriage. It was because you were already married."

"Can't marry a woman if she's married _or_ if you murdered her husband," Tessa replied, her voice raw as she relived her mostly _awful_ time as King Taxxu's guest/prisoner/almost-bride "And that's why we got that call from Corpsman Dey. It's 'cause Ba-Banis is a part of the marriage recognition system. We're married on nearly every planet that's made contact with the Nova Corps."

"That's why he was laughing hysterically," Gamora muttered, Tessa nodding along.

It was quiet for a moment as Gamora thought of all the things implicated by Tessa and Rocket being married. They would've had to do everything perfectly to Ba-Banis standards to be married, which meant…

"Taxxu's offered gift was the Yabek gem," Gamora said, referring to the part of the Ba-Bani marriage process where suitors offered their intended brides a gift "What did Rocket…?"

"I bet you can guess."

Gamora frowned as she considered what in the universe Tessa thought she would be able to-.

Oh.

"Rocket gave you the Hadron Rifle."

Her blonde tresses bounced slightly as she nodded but kept her eyes on her boots.

"He said he'd been making it for himself, but… I think he always meant for it to be mine," Tessa murmured, it occurring to Gamora that Tessa would've had to give something back for them to be able to get married, but going off her expression, she chose not to press.

Quiet filled the air between them again and both of the women tried to figure where they would go from here.

"I'm sorry."

Gamora looked over at Tessa only to find the Terran looking absolutely _miserable._ She had her knees pulled up to her chest and was resting her cheeks against her hands.

"For what?" Gamora asked, Tessa shaking her head slightly as she thought about it.

"Peter."

Gamora looked away from her and down at the ground as she now knew where this conversation was going.

"I… I know you have feelings for him," Tessa murmured "And you heard what he was saying and…"

"It's not your fault," Gamora said evenly "What Peter chooses to do is not your fault."

"I'm not sure it's Peter's…" Tessa admitted, sitting up slightly and looking over at Gamora "Something is _wrong._ Ego, Mantis, this _planet._ Ever since we got here…"

"I agree," Gamora said, kicking into gear "We need to find a way out of here."

"Rocket's not answering his…"

Tessa's words slowed as something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She turned her head as a dark spec on the horizon grew larger and larger, the other woman looked as well and they simultaneously realized what they were looking at.

A ship headed _straight_ towards them.

 ** _Most of all he needs the funk  
(shine it)  
Help him find the funk  
(ha, funk it)  
Most of all he needs the funk  
Help him find the funk_**

Murder.

Murder is _great._

Kraglin had helped Groot get Yondu's crest and when he had that… The Ravagers didn't stand a _chance._ Every single one of those dickheads were dead now, which meant things were looking up for Rocket.

Next stop, Tessa.

Without thinking, except a little about the woman on the other side of galaxy, Rocket set the navigation systems.

"It ain't healthy, mammalian body to hop more than fifty jumps at a time!" Yondu exclaimed as the ship hurtled through jump after jump.

"I know that," Rocket replied absentmindedly as he considered what he'd do once they got to their destination. Would she still be mad at him? Or had enough time passed and she'd be a bit cooler. Or, maybe… Quill…

"We're about to do 700!"

That stopped Rocket's intrusive thoughts.

Although it probably only lasted for a minute, it felt like a lifetime of being squeezed and stretched as they made each jump. Part of Rocket wondered if they'd survive this, but it stopped and they were now in the airspace closest to Ego's planet.

"What the hell!" Yondu yelled "We ain't good to no one dead!"

"Yeah, yeah," Rocket said, waving away his concerns "But, we're here now. I'll be able to save Quill; he'll _never_ live this down!"

Yondu shut his eyes in exasperation before opening them again to send Rocket a look.

 _"This ain't got shit to do with Quill!"_

It was deathly silent for a moment. Even Kraglin and Groot, both of whom had not been privy to the earlier conversations between Rocket and Yondu, were quiet as they waited for a response.

"I don't know what you're talkin' about, old man," Rocket finally replied, his voice a forced calm.

Yondu snorted derisively and sent Rocket another look.

"You know _exactly_ what I'm talkin' about, boy," he said, not sounding _mad_ anymore, but his voice full of a different fire "This ain't got shit to do with Quill and it's got everything to do with Tess. You can fool yourself and everyone else, but you can't fool me."

 ** _"Are you jealous?"_**

"You don't know anything about me, loser."

"I know everything about you. I know you play like you're the meanest in the heart but actually you're the most scared of all."

 ** _"You got nothin' to be jealous of."_**

 ** _"I got nothin' to be jealous over."_**

"Shut up!"

"I know you steal batteries you don't need and you push away anyone who's willing to put up with you because just a little bit of love reminds you of how big and empty that hole inside you actually is."

 ** _"If you shut people out, they stop caring."_**

"I said shut up!"

"I know them scientist that made you never gave a rats ass about you," Yondu pushed on.

"I'm serious, dude!" Rocket said, his voice becoming less heated and more wobbly.

"Just like my own damn parents who sold me, their own little baby to slavery. I know who you are boy, _because you're me!"_

 ** _Flash light  
Flash light  
(oh ho ho!)  
Spot light  
(spot light)  
Neon light  
(neon light)  
Street light  
(street light)_**

 _"Because Rocket and I are already MARRIED!"_

Peter turned the Walkman over in his hands again and again as he considered the last words Tessa had spat at him before she stalked out of the room.

Married.

They were married.

Part of him wanted to question whether or not she had been lying just to get him off her back, but he knew Tessa well enough. This wasn't something she'd joke about.

The strangest part was that… He didn't feel that torn up about it. He felt disappointed that he'd missed his chance, but… Honestly… It was kind of the funniest thing he'd ever heard.

Did Rocket have to stick with her every moment leading up to it to make sure she didn't run off like the last time? Did Tessa wear one of those poofy white dresses with the big sleeves? Did Rocket wear a tux? It was unlikely, but the image of that made a smile pull at his lips.

"You seem to be in a good mood for someone whose girl just stormed out on him."

Peter's amused grin dropped as his Dad made his presence known.

"Oh, you know…" Peter said, dodging any answer that would incriminate him.

"Yeah," Ego replied, nodding as if he understood "Brandy."

"After you told me about mom singing," Peter said, referring to the music being played.

"You know, we're the sailor," Ego said, his voice rueful "And, unfortunately, my River Lily and your Lady… They're Brandy."

"What do you mean?" Peter asked, cocking his head in confusion.

"I'll show you."

 ** _Shake your funk  
Pararadirarararararara  
Shake your funk  
Pararadirarararararara  
Shake your rump (ho)  
Pararadirarararararara_**

Tessa grunted loudly as she and Gamora landed. The pair had had to jump off of a sizable cliff to avoid the shots from Nebula's ship. Gamora, being enhanced, landed on her back underneath the more fragile Terran; absorbing much of the shock to try to keep Tessa from serious harm.

"Are you okay?" Gamora demanded, Tessa giving a weak nod as the wind had been knocked out of her "We need to run."

Tessa moved back and allowed Gamora to stand and grab her hand. The Terran let her pull her along as she focused on just getting her legs to move correctly. Gamora led her into a cave and the pair continued to run as Nebula fired closely behind them. The blue woman was so consumed by rage, she didn't think twice about following them into the cave and crashing her ship.

Tessa fell to the ground in a desperate attempt to catch her breath and her bearings while Gamora tore one of the ships guns off and put it over her shoulder. As she fired at where Nebula would be, Tessa made the choice to stay out of this fight; she would only get in the way.

After a moment, Gamora stalked forward to pull her sister's unconscious form out of the wreckage. Tessa pushed herself up against the cave wall as she did and watched as Gamora dropped her down onto the ground away from the fire.

And then Nebula jumped up and attacked Gamora.

 _"Are you kidding me?!"_ Gamora yelled as Nebula choked her. Tessa ran forward and tackled Nebula from behind, but because of her superior strength and years of training, she threw her off and against the cave wall with a thud.

Now completely disoriented, Tessa watched as three separate Gamoras were choked out by three Nebulas. She wanted to do something to help her friend, but she seemed unable to do anything but lay on her side.

But, instead of finishing her off as Tessa expected, Nebula suddenly pulled back and scrambled back a few feet.

"I win."

"Is that what this was all about?" Gamora demanded "That you wanted win?!"

 _"You're the one who wanted to win, but I just wanted a sister!"_

The three people in the cave fell silent at Nebula's explosive words. The only sound was their heavy breathing.

"You were all I had, but you just _needed to win_. Thanos pulled my eye from my head. He tore my brain from my skull, and my arm from my body... because of _you."_

Tessa looked over at one of her closest friends and observed how Gamora looked torn in pieces by Nebula's words. As she pushed herself up, she looked away from Gamora and her eyes caught on a part of the cavern that was reflecting strangely in the light from the fire of the ship.

Tessa swayed slightly as she got used to being vertical once again and then she slowly walked over to the strange looking part of the cave wall. Her vision was still a little messed up from the fall and being thrown, so it took all her concentration to sort it out and figure out exactly what she was looking at.

"G-Guys?"

Gamora looked over with a frown at her friend's wobbly voice and even Nebula could tell from the back that something was wrong with Tessa.

Both of the women stepped forward and stood on either side of the Terran; all three staring at the looming tower of bones.

"We need to get the hell off of this planet."

 ** _Everybody's got a little light under the sun  
Under the sun, under the sun, under the sun, under the sun,  
Under the sun, under the sun, under the sun, under the sun_**


	10. Surrender - Cheap Trick

**_Mother told me, yes she told me  
I'd meet girls like you  
She also told me stay away  
You'll never know what you'll catch_**

The first thing he registered was something melodious. It sounded as if it was coming from very far away, so it hadn't been the cause of his consciousness. But, it was there, nonetheless.

 _Trying to live without your love is one long sleepless night  
Let me show you, girl, that I know wrong from right_

Then, it started to sound clearer and when it did, he became aware of a different sound. It wasn't lyrical, like what he'd been hearing before, but it was pleasant. Melodious in a different way. It sounded so familiar, but he couldn't quite...

It happened again and it occurred to him: _laughter._ That was what he was hearing: someone was laughing.

Every part of him felt so heavy, but… he wanted to know. He wanted to know who was making those sounds. He slowly opened his eyes, even though the lids felt like they had planets weighing them down.

He took in the sight of a strange circle shape and dark colors, but he soon realized he was looking at where he went into the dirt in the pot. He painstakingly raised his head to see the rest of the room.

At first, there was light.

Then, it slowly came into focus.

Most of it was still, so they couldn't be the things making the sounds. His eyes finally found something that was moving. He tried to figure out what he was seeing. One was standing on something that wasn't moving while the other was as big as the still thing and the moving thing. They were different, he could tell that much; they didn't look much alike at all. The tall one had a weird shaped head, he observed, the yellow top kept moving when the rest of them came to a stop.

The bigger one had their appendage, finger was the word, in the hand of the smaller one. She (at least, he thought they were a she) ducked under their joined arms and twisted around until she was facing him again. They didn't stop moving to the music and he just watched as that sound filled the room again.

They were both laughing.

He felt a smile pull across his face and as his eyes closed, Groot thought of one thing.

 _Mama and Daddy._

 ** _Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright  
They just seem a little weird  
Surrender, surrender  
But don't give yourself away_**

"Hold on, Groot!"

Groot did as he said and held on tight to the side of the ship as Yondu piloted them through the atmosphere.

He knew he didn't understand much. Things were hard to understand. He had trouble with instructions and if people had a hat on or if that was just their head. But, he understood that Daddy was sad. And he knew it was because Mama was gone. He was sad too. But, he knew that Daddy had _made_ Mama sad, which made both Groot and Daddy even sadder. Daddy, because he'd upset someone he really cared about, even if he wouldn't always admit it. Groot, because…

What if they didn't stop making each other sad?

What if that meant they stopped being each other's?

What if they stopped being his Mama and Daddy?

But, maybe… They were going to see Mama again. Maybe everything would go back to normal.

Maybe they wouldn't keep making each other sad.

 ** _Father says your mother's right  
She's really up on things  
Before we married Mommy served  
On the WACs in the Philippines_**

"Hey there, Jackass!"

The ship jerked and skidded horribly as they piloted directly into Ego. Finally coming to a stop right on top of him. Since the door was open, Groot was able to get an uninhibited view of the familiar people that were making their way towards them.

Green lady, Gamora, was there. He liked Gamora, she was nice and stayed with him whenever his Mama and Daddy were busy doing something. She would put music on and he'd dance while she watched and swayed.

There was a blue lady that always made Gamora upset. Nebula. She said she hurt Mama. He didn't like her. Not at all.

There was the big one that was mean and never wore a shirt. Groot supposed he was alright. Sometimes. When he wasn't ruining his music.

There was the lady he didn't know that well. The one that looked like that bug he'd try to eat. She seemed nice.

And then…

 _"I am Groot!"_

"It's good to see you too, Groot!"

She jumped into the ship and scooped him up easily so she could place him on her shoulder. Groot wrapped his arms around her neck and sighed in contentment; Mama was back. She smiled down at him, but he couldn't help but notice the way her eyes flashed around the ship.

"Where's— _Rocket."_

Groot had to hold on tightly to her collar as she jolted forward and wrapped her arms around Daddy. He seemed surprised, probably because he thought she would still be mad at him, but he only took a moment before he hugged her back.

They pulled back quicker than they probably wanted to and Mama smiled that smile she only ever had for Daddy.

"I should've stayed with you."

Before Daddy could respond, Drax spoke up. Probably for the best, because he looked like he wouldn't be able to come up with a response for a little while.

"What were you doing? You could have killed us all!"

"Uh, 'thank you, Rocket,'" Daddy responded, Mama continuing to kneel down next to his seat even though she lost that smile in the presence of others.

"We had it under control," Drax replied.

"We did not," Mantis spoke up, fear in her voice "That is only an extension of his true self."

Groot didn't even notice; Mama was thoughtlessly scratching Daddy behind the ears. Maybe everything would go back to normal.

 ** _Now I had heard the WACs recruited  
Old maids for the war  
But Mommy's neither one of those  
I've known her all these years_**

"How do we kill a Celestial?"

Groot looked away from the light tendrils that were sticking up out of the ground and to his Mama. He'd expected her to be making that face she made whenever it was time to take care of business or maybe even smiling at Rocket, but she was doing neither of those things. She seemed to be focusing on a corner of the ship that had nothing interesting, almost like she was looking everywhere but Daddy or _Peter_. But, even stranger, Peter seemed to be doing the same thing; he was _refusing_ to look at Groot's Mama and Daddy.

The tendrils suddenly wrapped around the ship and jerked it down as they tried to fly off; Mama having to grab on tight to the back of Daddy's seat to not be thrown back.

"You might want to sit down, Blondie," he advised, Mama for once not arguing and taking a seat on the arm of his chair.

"That was being funny," Yondu was saying to Peter as they tried to fly free of Ego.

 _"Not to me!"_ Peter replied heatedly.

"You people have issues," Daddy said as he worked on getting them out of there.

"Of course I have issues," Peter said _"That's my freaking father!"_

The ship jerked free and they flew out of the home only to immediately go into a nose dive. Mama held on tight to the back of the chair and Groot held on tight to Mama's collar as they went down towards the ground.

"We should be going up!" Yondu shouted.

"We can't. Ego wants to eradicate the universe as we know it. We have to kill him," Groot heard Peter say before he shouted down to them "Rocket!"

Daddy started to shoot through the rock so they could reach the planet's core and the ship jostled about as he worked.

"So we're saving the galaxy again?" He asked.

"Looks like it," Mama replied.

"Awesome. We can really jack up our price if we're two-time galaxy savers."

"If we survive," Mama replied matter-of-factly, Daddy sending her a look that was supposed to be annoyed, but had too much warmth to be so.

"You don't have to be so negative."

 ** _Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright  
They just seem a little weird  
Surrender, surrender  
But don't give yourself away_**

They lost the side of their ship, but they finally made it to the planet's cavernous center. The air uncomfortably silent as Daddy aligned the lasers so he could start to fire into the core, where Ego's brain was.

The sound of the drills was a welcome change from eerie quiet that had filled the ship just moments before. Even so, Mama still seemed tense, what with the way her hand snaked down to rest on Daddy's shoulder. They both exchanged a look before focusing back in on the headway that was being made.

"Do you hear that?" Daddy asked, Mama frowning as Yondu yelled down.

"Hear what- Oh, _Hell!"_

The ship suddenly jolted away from the core as a new problem revealed itself:

The Sovereign.

The ship shuttered around in an attempt to dodge the blasts coming from the fleet of ships that were following them. They suddenly jerked one way and Drax, Gamora, and Mantis went off the ship. Mama and Groot might've joined them as well if it weren't for Daddy grabbing her by the arm and hauling her back to sitting on the side of his seat.

"You're not leaving me this time, Blondie."

 ** _Whatever happened to all this season's  
Losers of the year  
Every time I got to thinking  
Where'd they disappear_**

Groot watched as Daddy fashioned a bomb out of the batteries and a timer as he, Mama, and Peter discussed their next move. Once again, Peter and Mama seemed like they were trying to do their _very_ best to not interact with each other, like there was something wrong. Maybe it was just one of those things Groot didn't understand, like knocking before entering.

"That thing strong enough to kill Ego?" Peter asked.

"If it is, it'll blow up a chain reaction through the entire nervous system," Daddy replied.

"That doesn't sound good for us," Mama said, Daddy sending her a look.

"The entire planet will explode."

"So, definitely not good for us," Mama replied, Daddy throwing his arms up.

"C'mon," Peter said, not making eye contact as he and Mama turned on their helmets.

The three adults jumped off the ship and rocketed off; Groot having to hold on tight to the back of Mama's jacket so he wouldn't go flying as she swerved around the Sovereign. They managed to make it to the hole that Daddy had drilled into the core unscathed and all of them stumbled inside.

"The metal's too thick," Daddy said as he studied the inside of the core "For the bomb to work, we actually have to place it _on_ Ego's core."

"None of us can fit in…" Mama's voice trailed off as she went to look over at Daddy, but her eyes caught on Groot.

"That's a _terrible_ idea!" Daddy exploded, already sensing what Mama would suggest.

"Got a better one?" She countered, lifting Groot off of her shoulder and placing him on Daddy's.

"Unbelievable," Daddy groaned and sent her a dirty look before he started to walk as close as he could to the core. Groot situated himself so he could watch Mama as they went and she gave him a small wave and a reassuring smile.

"Be fast, I don't know how long we can handle these guys," Mama added as they went.

 _"Rocket, do this. Rocket, do that,"_ Daddy said in a high pitched, squeaky voice. Mama rolling her eyes as Daddy did that less than flattering impression of her.

Soon enough, Mama and Peter were out of sight and Daddy was placing him down with the bomb in between them.

"Alright, first you flip this switch, then this one, then you edcbnj erfrn, which will give you five minutes to get out of there," Daddy explained "Now whatever you do, don't abvdsjnfr asdfjndver jsfdnqjfn qjfnrujf sdjfnerf qfnfn. Now, repeat back what I just said."

"I am Groot," he started.

"Uh huh."

"I am Groot."

"That's right."

"I am Groot!" He finished, pointing at the button Daddy had pointed at the most.

" _No!_ No, that's the button that will eyrhcjcn! Try again."

"I am Groot…"

"Mmhm."

"I am Groot."

"Uh huh."

"I am Groot," he said, pointing to the button.

" _NO!_ That's exactly what you just sai- how's that even possible?! Which button is the one you're supposed to push, point to it!" Daddy exclaimed, Groot more confused than _ever._

Groot pointed to the button and Daddy threw his hands up in the air.

 _"NO!"_

"Hey, you're makin' him nervous!" Peter shouted, his head appearing in a hole in the top of the core.

"Shut up and give me some tape!" Daddy snapped at him "Does anyone have tape out there? I want to put some tape over the death button!"

"I don't have any tape, lemme check!"

 ** _Then I woke up, Mom and Dad  
Are rolling on the couch  
Rolling numbers, rock and rolling  
Got my Kiss records out_**

"Rocket?!"

Groot smiled widely and waved at Mama, who was now looking through the hole. Mama smiled and waved back, but he could tell she was distracted.

"Please tell me you have tape," Daddy said, looking over his shoulder as Mama frowned and shook her head.

"No. I wanted to talk to you."

"Now?!" Daddy replied, Mama nodding this time.

"I figure if I tell you while you're worrying about dying, you won't have time to get mad," she said, Daddy sending her a look.

"Mad about _what?"_

"I… may have… let certain things slip to Peter."

"What things?" Daddy asked, frowning.

"Things that may or may not have happened on Ba-Banis."

Daddy's eyes grew wide before he whipped around to face Mama fully, who was already tense in preparation for being torn into.

"You did _what?!"_ Daddy yelled _"How—Why would you do that?!"_

"It just slipped!" Mama yelled back, but with less heat.

 _"How does stuff like that just slip?!"_

 _"Because he was trying to make a move!"_

Groot felt his own eyes grow wider as he picked up on what Mama was saying and he looked over at Daddy, who was completely frozen in place. His eyes were wide and his mouth hung ajar slightly, Groot whimpering softly as he recognized what abject terror looked like on his Daddy's face.

"Nobody has tape!"

Peter reappeared next to Mama and he immediately picked up something was wrong going off of how everyone was dead silent.

"What…?"

Daddy seemed to snap out of his shock and now snarled at Peter, who jerked back even though he had no way of reaching him.

 _"You made a move on my girl, Quill?!"_

Peter looked between Mama's uncomfortable and slightly guilty face and Daddy's _furious_ expression. He opened and closed his mouth multiple times before he managed to sputter out an answer.

 _"Now?_ We're-we're going to do this _now?"_

 _"You son of a bitch!"_ Daddy yelled, Groot frowning and slouching _"You're a dead man, Quill!"_

"How was I supposed to know you two were serious?!" Peter yelled back "All you do is yell at each other!"

Groot shuffled uncomfortably as all the adults yelled at each other; he wanted them to stop. He didn't want them to fight. He just wanted everything to be how it was before.

"That doesn't mean it's cool to hit on someone who's said they're in a relationship, though!" Mama jumped in, Daddy nodding in agreement.

Groot's eyes slid off of Daddy and landed on the bomb sitting in front of him.

"I'm not arguing that point! That was very not cool of me! I agree!" Peter exclaimed "I'm just trying to wrap my head around why you two are _married_. Honestly, I don't understand why you're with her, Rocket. All she does is infuriate you!"

 _"Because I love her!"_

 ** _Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright  
They just seem a little weird  
Surrender, surrender  
But don't give yourself away_**

The fight raged on behind them, but not one of them acknowledged this. It was completely silent between the three of them. Before Peter could sputter out an excuse to fly as far away as possible or Tessa could demand an explanation or Rocket could give a defense to his words that would undoubtedly hurt some feelings, their eyes were drawn by a familiar sound.

 _"I am Groooot!"_

Groot was gone and so was the bomb.

"We're all gonna die."

 ** _Away_**


	11. The Chain - Fleetwood Mac

**_Listen to the wind blow  
Watch the sun rise  
Run in the shadows  
Damn your love  
Damn your lies_**

"I can't _believe_ you brought that up."

Tessa sent Peter a dirty look, despite the fact that she was wearing her mask and he wouldn't be able to see a thing. The pair avoided multiple shots from Sovereign fleet as they made their way across the battlefield towards their ship.

"Well, _I_ can't believe you would be such a freaking _douchenozzle,"_ she replied, ducking under a ship and shooting up to wreck it.

 _"I'm_ a douchenozzle?!" Peter replied, outraged as he dodged a piece of debris _"You're_ a douchenozzle!"

"How am _I_ a douchnozzle?!" Tessa demanded, their ship in sight now "Because I didn't return your creepy advances?"

" _No!"_ Peter replied _"_ You're-You…"

"Ah- _Ha!"_ Tessa said, looking over at Peter "You don't have _any-."_

A sudden blast from a ship made them both dodge, throwing them off of their course and sending them slamming inside of their ship.

It was quiet for a moment as both turned off their masks, regained the bearings, and realized that they were unharmed.

"You just flew away when Rocket said he loved you!" Peter suddenly announced, sounding surprised himself "So, you _are_ the douchenozzle!"

Tessa's eyes grew wide before they narrowed dangerously.

 _"Screw you!"_

She leapt across the space separating them and grabbed Peter by the lapels of his jacket so she could shake him furiously, Peter responding in kind by shoving at her.

 _"If the two of you don't knock it off, I'm gonna come back there and whip both of your asses!"_

The roar from Yondu caused the Terrans to separate, but didn't keep them from glaring at each other, at least, until something else caught their attention.

"Let this be a message to all those tempted with betraying us: don't _screw_ with the Sovereign."

The ship shuttered horribly as the Sovereign held nothing back; levying it with hit after hit. It was a miracle they lasted as long as they did, long enough for there to be a sudden influx of power and multiple lasers to burst from the ship. Every one of the Sovereign fleet took a hit and exploded into almost nothing; they'd defeated an army.

But, as Tessa and Peter noticed, there had been some consequences to that battle strategy.

"We're gonna blow!"

 ** _And if, you don't love me now  
You will never love me again  
I can still hear you saying  
You would never break the chain  
(Never break the chain)_**

"You look like Mary Poppins."

Despite the fact that Tessa was still pretty pissed at Peter, she couldn't help but laugh at the comparison. Unlike the other two, who were using their rocket boots, Yondu used his arrow to lower himself to the ground slowly, which did make him look quite a lot like that.

"Is he cool?" Yondu asked, the two Terrans forgetting their rivalry as their eyes met for a brief second.

"Hell yeah he's cool," Peter said.

"Kicked ass," Tessa supplemented.

 _"I'm Mary Poppins, ya'll!"_

The smile Tessa wore was one of the more genuine ones she had in the past few days even though they were surrounded by utter chaos. The three touched down on ground alongside the rest of the team, including Nebula and Mantis.

And Rocket.

The man in question was doing everything in his power to not look at her, which made her stomach twist in uncomfortable ways.

She'd already blown it, hadn't she?

"Rocky-."

There was a loud thump and a grunt and Tessa turned to see that Mantis had been nailed by a piece of debris, which knocked her unconscious. Which meant she wasn't using her powers.

"Mantis, look out!" Drax warned, way too late.

"Rocket," Tessa called as the ground began to shake, signifying that the planet was starting to wake "How long do we have?!"

"Assuming Groot doesn't kill us all, about six minutes," Rocket replied, now electing to act like nothing had happened. And for a moment Tessa thought about just yelling it, right now. In front of everybody. But, before she could do it or psyche herself out, the planet cracked open above them and the daylight shined down.

"Drax, take Mantis!" Peter commanded, putting his space suit on his back and Drax launching off.

The ground shook violently and split, Gamora falling down into the abyss. But, before Tessa or anyone else could do something to help her, Nebula jumped after her. And, their attention was soon grabbed.

 _"Peter!"_

The tendrils of Ego reappeared as well as his face ingrained in the very planet. The light attacked them and each member of the group fought back in their own way: Peter with his guns, Yondu with his arrow, Tessa with the Hadron Rifle, and Rocket with multiple weapons all of which were probably banned in most systems.

 _"What kind of father would I be if I let you make this choice?"_ Ego's omniscient-like voice called as the tendrils regenerated faster than they could wear them down _"Soon, Peter, we will be all there is. So stop pissing me off!"_

Suddenly, one of the tendrils wrapped around Tessa's ankle and threw her up into the air. As she fell back down, her hands scrambled but she managed to knock her boots on and the rockets slowed her descent. But, the same tendril grabbed her again and slammed her down into the ground; a sickening crunch coming from her right arm.

The light reared back and even through her immense pain, Tessa realized what was about to happen.

 _"ROCK-!"_

Before she could even finish his name, she was being buried by the stone and light. And even though her voice had made Rocket's entire being go into panic mode, he couldn't get to her, because he wasn't fairing much better than she was.

 ** _Listen to the wind blow  
Down comes the night  
Running in the shadows  
Damn your love  
Damn your lies  
Break the silence  
Damn the dark  
Damn the light_**

 _"Hey."_

 _Tessa looked up from her tablet to watch Peter enter the room. The two Terrans exchanged a smile before Peter started messing with whatever he'd come in the room for and Tessa returned to reading her Xandarian romance novel. She started the book two months ago, before the whole mess with Ronan, and she hadn't been able to get back to it due to the upset on the Milano._

 _Their new shipmates were people of varying ethics and personalities, which made for a bit of tension when they started living together. Sure, both of them loved having more people, it filled the silence that was so often found in space, but sometimes they both wished for the calm that they'd had before._

 _But, neither of their minds were on that right now; Peter was busy gathering up his stuff while Tessa was focused on whether or not the protagonist would choose to move to Hala with their lover. Right as they were about to announce their decision, Peter leaned to grab his favorite mug off of the table Tessa was sat at._

 _"Oh my god."_

 _Tessa looked up to see Peter's eyes were on her lap; he must've not realized that the Terrans were not the only people in the room._

 _"What?" Tessa said, knowing why he'd reacted that way but deciding it was best to pretend that nothing was weird about this "He fell asleep."_

 _As Tessa spoke, she ran her fingers through Rocket's fur, which didn't wake him but did make his ears and tail twitch._

 _"How—Why—?" Peter started, giving her a look that conveyed that he didn't understand how she even got into that position in the first place. Thankfully, she could pretend like she didn't know what he was trying to ask and so she didn't have to answer._

 _She didn't have to explain that maybe she and Rocket didn't have so much of a problem with each other. At least, not all the time. She didn't have to explain that before Rocket fell asleep, he'd been sitting her lap; working on what was probably a bomb. And she certainly didn't have to explain how she'd absentmindedly began to scratch him behind the ears and he completely relaxed against her before his breathing became heavy and Tessa realized what she'd done._

 _"He was tired," Tessa offered, hoping that would placate Peter. Thankfully, he didn't ask about how the pair had ended up here. Instead, a sinister smile spread across his face. One that made Tessa wary._

 _"Remember when we stopped at the place in Contraxia? The one with all the different races of women stripping," he said._

 _"And they tried to hire me?" Tessa replied, deadpan as she remembered how much she'd been enjoying watching all the different body types when a couple of bouncers led her to a skeevy looking guy who tried to convince her that this establishment was the place for her._

 _"Yeah, and that Shi'ar chick gave you that thing of glitter for punching her boss in the face," Peter said, his smile growing wider as it occurred to Tessa exactly what he was proposing._

 _"Peter, no," Tessa said, making her best friend immediately indignant._

 _"What? C'mon!" He announced, louder than he should "I had pink glitter in my hair for weeks after that. Imagine what it'd be like in fur."_

 _"C'mere," Tessa said, her voice not raising in the slightest. Peter frowned before walking over to her side of the table. Once he was standing next to her, she looked up at him with a smile._

 _"What?" Peter asked, Tessa flashing her eyes down to where she was still lightly running her fingers through Rocket's fur "You're kidding."_

 _"This is your only chance."_

 _Peter and Tessa exchanged a long look before the former broke the eye contact and sighed. He leaned down slightly and Tessa moved her hand so Peter could slowly put his on Rocket. He held his breath like he half expected his eyes to snap open and for him to bite him or something. But, Rocket continued to sleep and Peter began to gently pet him. Rocket tensed like he could tell the person touching him was different from before, but soon enough he relaxed back into Tessa._

 _"I did not expect his fur to be this soft," Peter admitted in whisper, Tessa nodding._

 _"I know."_

 _"But, you know what's interesting?" Peter asked, Tessa sending him a look "He isn't as nearly as soft as you are when it comes to him."_

 _Tessa reached and shoved Peter, who chuckled lowly before hopping up to leave the room. She just rolled her eyes as she listened to him whistle that familiar Elvin Bishop song._

 _She looked down to see Rocket curled up and still fast asleep on her lap. She returned to her ministrations as she thought; Peter was right about her being soft. And maybe that was bad, like Yondu would say, but… It felt nice to be soft like this._

 _She knew that Peter had only been whistling that song to get a rise out of her, but as she looked down at Rocket's sleeping form, she figured that he wasn't that far off._

Suddenly, the light and rock that had been smothering her pulled back, Tessa taking a gasping breath as she held her arm.

And she had no way of knowing that it was memories like that that had just saved her.

 ** _And if you don't love me now  
You will never love me again  
I can still hear you saying  
You would never break the chain  
(Never break the chain)_**

Tessa gave an agonized sound that drew the two other people that had just been freed from Ego. Yondu took her busted arm in gentle hands that always surprised people while Rocket looked over with worried eyes.

"Hey, Blondie, you okay?" He asked, tucking a piece of the aforementioned hair behind her ear.

"Naw, it's broken," Yondu informed them before turning to Rocket "Go and find the twig."

"But-."

" _Now."_

Rocket gave Tessa one last look, which she returned with a small forced smile, before he launched off into the air to go and find Groot. Once he was gone, Tessa dropped the brave face she'd put on and hiccupped slightly as her eyes began to overflow.

"Hey, none of those tears," Yondu said, slowly moving her arm so she could hold it "You're gonna have to fly up to the ship."

"I'm not sure-," Tessa started as he helped her to her feet.

"You can do it," Yondu said, putting on of his hands on either side of her face "'Cause you're my girl and my girl is tough enough to do _anything._ Got that?"

"… Got it," Tessa said, nodding and smiling slightly, which made Yondu grin and before he took his hands off of her.

"Go on, Kid."

Tessa smiled one last time before blasting off and flying up to the surface, not knowing that Yondu watched her until she was out of sight.

 ** _And if you don't love me now  
You will never love me again  
I can still hear you saying  
You would never break the chain  
(Never break the chain)_**

"We're about to blow!"

Rocket leveled with Yondu's height, taking note that Tessa was gone, which meant she was on the ship. That knowledge made him drop from panic mode to just your everyday _we're all going to die._

"Get to the ship!" Yondu yelled.

"Not without Quill!" Rocket found himself saying, despite how he knew he should be leaving that no good Terran in the dust if he wanted to keep Tessa. But, a smaller part of his brain pointed out that Quill was still her best friend and it didn't matter that she was angry with him right now, she loved him one way or another. And he couldn't just let him die.

But, he _certainly_ didn't care about what happened to Quill outside of how it affected Tess. No siree.

"You need to take care of the twig!"

"Not without you," Rocket said, this time every part of him agreeing on that.

"I've done a lot of bad in my life," Yondu said "It's time I did some good."

Rocket felt everything inside of him drop at those words; he knew what Yondu meant to do. It was quiet between the two, despite the fact that the planet around them was crumbling apart. Finally, Rocket reached into his pocket and pulled out the last two of each, cursing he hadn't brought extra.

"A space suit and a Aero-Rig."

He passed them to Yondu, who took them before looking back up.

"You take good care of my girl, got it?"

"Forever," Rocket promised, feeling his throat tighten as silence fell over them; no one quite sure what to say.

"I am Groot."

"What's that?" Yondu asked, Rocket wondering how a baby had managed to figure out how to say all the things he'd wanted to say.

"He said 'Welcome to the freakin' Guardians of the Galaxy.' Only he didn't saying freakin'."

 ** _And if you don't love me now  
You will never love me again  
I can still hear you saying  
You would never break the chain  
(Never break the chain)_**

"Are you _sure_ you're doing this right?!"

Gamora sent Tessa a dirty look as she continued to work on setting her arm. It was makeshift, to say the least, but it was better than nothing. Even if it hurt like a bitch. Suddenly, there was a sharp jab in her neck and she looked to see Nebula with a needle.

"What was that?" Tessa demanded, rubbing the spot that Nebula had injected her.

"It'll help with the pain," she replied coolly before sitting back down.

"… Thanks," Tessa muttered, surprised.

"You're whining annoyed me."

Before Tessa could come up with an answer that was both a retort and nice because Nebula did help her, there was the sound of familiar rockets and she felt a smile grow across her cheeks as she watched him land.

 _"Rocket,"_ she said, relieved for a brief moment before she caught sight of his face.

"Where's Peter?" Gamora asked, it occurring to Tessa that two people weren't on the ship. Rocket didn't reply, just looked down at his hands. Tessa felt that growing sense of dread fill her completely _"Where is he?"_

Groot pointed back to the planet.

"No," Gamora said, standing and grabbing a gun "I'm not leaving without him."

She headed back out to the planet, but before she even stepped off the ship, Rocket suddenly fired his taser at her; knocking her unconscious.

"What the _hell?!"_ Tessa yelled, scrambling to her feet "I know you're mad at him, but _Jesus Christ!_ Leaving him to _die?"_

"Tess…"

 _"I'll_ go and get him," she announced, heading the way Gamora had.

"Tessa…"

"And don't you _dare_ shoot me with that-."

 _"Theresa! Will you listen to me?!"_ Rocket's exclamation made her falter, but she continued to walk until she had one boot on the planet.

"Please."

She stopped, but didn't turn away from the planet, she just waited.

"I know you love Quill. Probably more than you love me. But, that doesn't matter, because I love you. And I know I don't act like it, but… Being with you is the only thing that's ever made me feel like I might not be a monster. Because how could I be if you were willing to be with me? And I know I've hurt you, Tess, and it eats me up that I can't stop doing things that hurt you. But, the reason I keep doing it is because I know you could never love a thing like me as much as I love you. Maybe not even at all. But that doesn't matter either, because I'm not asking you to love me more than Quill. I'm not asking you to love me at all. I'm asking you to think about how much I love you. And I'm asking you to understand that I never want you to be hurt or upset."

"So, please, Tessa? Please don't go out there. Please know that I'm not asking you to stay because I hate Quill. I'm asking you to stay because I love you."

It was dead silent for a moment, Rocket holding his breath as she stood stock still.

Tessa lifted her foot and placed it back in the ship.

 ** _Chain keep us together (running in the shadow)  
Chain keep us together (running in the shadow)  
Chain keep us together (running in the shadow)  
Chain keep us together (running in the shadow)  
Chain keep us together (running in the shadow)  
Chain keep us together (running in the shadow)_**


	12. Father and Son - Cat Stevens

**_It's not time to make a change  
Just relax, take it easy  
You're still young, that's your fault  
There's so much you have to know  
Find a girl, settle down  
If you want you can marry  
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy_**

A Ravagers' ship was never quiet. How could it be? You can't expect to throw every manner of person with skewed morals into such close quarters and expect them to play nicely all the time. Even if there wasn't at least one vendetta going on, they weren't the most mannerly people in the universe. Yelling was considered par for the course for a conversation.

But, in this moment, it was silent.

Kraglin sent a dirty look at Brahl, who had started a sentence that disrupted that stillness. He quickly shut up at the look of death he'd received, but he did mutter under his breath as he made his way to the bunk.

 _"Can't figure why we're treatin' that bitch so special."_

Kraglin heard it, but he said nothing and instead opted to roll his eyes and lean to look inside the viewing room; the room with the largest window. When he returned to his stance leaning against the wall, he came face to face with a familiar Centaurian.

"What're you doing?" He asked, Kraglin feeling a little bit sheepish, but pushing past that.

"I'm giving the girl a moment."

The captain peeked into the room before sending Kraglin a look, one he replied to with a shrug. Without a word, he swung inside and paid no heed to how his boots clomped against the floor. Kraglin moved so he was in the doorway and able to see what would happen.

The two figures stood side-by-side in front of the marvelous window and neither one of them broke eye contact with the universe.

"Ankara, O'erlanii, Huj," he said with his familiar gravelly voice as he pointed out each speck that didn't fit in with the pattern of the rest of the universe "You see right there? Centauri IV. Where I come from."

"I…" The girl trailed off, clearly at a loss for words.

"Don't try to force it. My boy, the Terran I'm gonna take you to, took three weeks to realize what was happenin' was happenin'," He said before readjusting slightly "Course, you should be havin' an easier time than him. You knew this was comin'."

"I… I didn't," she said, still not looking over at her companion "… When I was a kid, when we lived in Malibu, I used to… I used to… When my dad wasn't out or on a bender, sometimes he and my mom and I would go outside to look at the sea. Well, I mean, my mom would look at the sea and my dad would drink scotch, but I… I would always look up. I would look at the stars and think about how the sky was just light and darkness; black and white."

Her hands gripped on the railing that kept one from falling onto where the window curved down into a lower level.

"I was wrong."

Kraglin looked away from the two people and to where they were looking. She hadn't elaborated, but he knew what she was talking about. If you were too far or just weren't looking, you'd just see the black coldness of the universe. But, when you were here, in a ship, you could see the way blues and pinks and purples wove a backdrop for each speck of light.

As Kraglin looked out at the colors without a cynical lens over his eyes, he didn't see how Yondu Udonta put his arm over Theresa Stark's shoulders.

"Welcome to the galaxy, Kid."

 ** _I was once like you are now, and I know that it's not easy  
To be calm when you've found something going on  
But take your time, think a lot  
Why, think of everything you've got  
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not_**

Everything was silent.

Peter wasn't used to being on a ship this quiet; on the Milano, everyday there was a new argument or a new joke, both of which would result in boisterousness. But, now… solemnity was the mood that filled the air. And, for Peter, it passed that into something much deeper. Something that made his whole body ache.

Gamora had tried and he'd always thank her for that, but she wasn't able to comfort him much. Kraglin had given him a painful hug that didn't do much more than make Peter's stomach tighten and the pain worsen for a moment. Groot had made an attempt as well, even though he probably didn't completely grasp what was going on around him. Hell, Drax even tried, and even though it was… ham-fisted, Peter appreciated it. He appreciated all of it. But, it didn't really help.

"Quill."

Peter looked up from his spot in the corner of the ship, where he'd been leaning against the wall and staring at his boots for the past twenty minutes or so. He readjusted slightly as Rocket approached him, as he half expected him to try to throw down or something. But, as soon as he took in his expression, Peter realized Rocket had no plans to attack him or anything like that. The guilt made that obvious.

"Yeah?" Peter asked, his voice low and raw.

"Tess is… She's in the control room," Rocket said, his voice implying that he was as torn up as his expression implied.

"Yeah?" Peter said, this time curious.

Rocket sighed before he muttered something under his breath about spelling it out.

"And you oughta go talk to her."

Peter felt his eyebrows raise as he processed those words. After everything that had gone down between the three of them, the last thing he'd expected was Rocket _encouraging_ him to go talk to Tessa. He seemed to pick up on what Peter was thinking and rolled his eyes.

"I'm not tellin' you this 'cause I'm okay with you. What happened don't erase what you did, Quill," Rocket said before sighing "But, me murderin' you ain't gonna make Tessa feel better. I don't think anything I do can do that. But, I think you can."

Peter looked away from Rocket and focused on nothing particular as he took in what Rocket had said. Even though his mind pointed out that the last time Tessa and him had a real conversation was when he'd said he had feelings for her and she'd replied with…

Peter watched as Rocket began to make his way out of the room; his body language telling the Terran that he was upset. He couldn't be sure if he was down about Yondu or maybe…

Peter sighed before he pushed himself off of the wall.

"Rocket."

The man in question paused and turned his head slightly, but didn't turn around to face the Terran.

"If someone told me a year ago that Tessa would get married, I would've asked them for some of whatever they'd been smoking," Peter said before nodding slightly "But, if they'd told me that after she met you… I would've believed them."

His words hung heavily in the air for a moment before Rocket looked away and spoke.

"Go talk to her, Quill."

 ** _How can I try to explain, cause when I do he turns away again  
It's always been the same, same old story  
From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen  
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away  
I know I have to go_**

When had she become accustomed to this sight?

The colors of the universe painted nearly everything in sight. The dark shades were only interrupted by one thing; small spots of light that caused the galaxy to be lit up like a Christmas tree. Her dark eyes easily picked out the dark spots that the average human would not be able to see. She didn't know the name of every one, but she could make out Krelar. Even if she didn't recognize them, though, she knew that each one was somebody's home.

Years and years ago, someone had pointed out a similar mass and referred it as where he'd come from. That's how he'd always said it, never as his home planet. She'd never thought much of it, but she got it now.

The sound of familiar boots filled the quiet, but she said nothing as he sat down in his seat next to her.

"How's your arm?" Peter asked after a moment, Tessa sighing as she looked down to where there was more bandage than actual arm.

"It's fine," she replied "Gamora said it should heal quickly."

"That's good," Peter murmured before it was quiet between them again.

"… Do you ever wonder what he thought of us?" Tessa asked, her voice wobbly as her eyes began to water "If… If he was proud of us?"

"Of course he was," Peter said, the two Terrans looking at each other "We were his kids."

Tessa smiled even though she felt a stab in her heart.

"We still are."

Peter smiled as well and Tessa knew he felt the same pain she did. The pair was quiet for a little while both of them just admired the never ending beauty of the galaxy.

"You know," Peter started, breaking that silence "I spent so long looking for my father, I never even noticed that I… I already had one."

"Don't be too down on yourself," Tessa said, her voice holding a tinge of self-deprecating humor "All I've been doing is feeling homesick even though my home was right here… Yondu gave me all of this and I never thanked him for that because I was too busy missing something that never existed."

Peter's brow furrowed and he lolled his head over to look at Tessa, who laughed bitterly as tears continued to stand in her eyes.

"All I remember from where I come from is the good stuff. But, that was only one percent of what it was... It _sucked..._ My mother was a cold bitch to me until the day she died. My stand-in mother was too worried about public image to see that I was heading down a dark and self-destructive path. And my dad… My dad was a _horrible_ father. The moment I stopped acting like a Stark, when I didn't take up partying and inventing, I was nothing. I meant nothing."

Tessa's tirade stopped when she buried her face in one of her hands and tried to regain her cool. It was quiet for a moment as she evened her breathing before she laughed again and raised her head to send Peter a look.

"I probably shouldn't be complaining about fathers to you, huh?"

Peter snorted in slight amusement before looking over at his best friend. The best friend he knew in both his heart and head that he loved more than anything. Not because she was his mom and he was his dad, no, that was just something Ego had planted in his mind when he was at his most vulnerable, something that both Terrans knew.

No, his love for Tessa was very different from that.

"Right before Yondu…" Peter's voice gave out and he had to clear his throat before he kept going "He said something to me… But, I think it was meant for both of us."

Peter looked over into Tessa's eyes. The eyes of his sister.

"He may have been your father, but he wasn't your daddy."

 ** _It's not time to make a change  
Just sit down, take it slowly  
You're still young, that's your fault  
There's so much you have to go through  
Find a girl, settle down  
If you want you can marry  
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy_**

When Kraglin had taught this to her, she'd never thought she'd ever actually have to do it. But, life had a way of playing tricks on you and here she was. Thankfully, she wasn't alone in doing this, everyone was working to together.

Tessa took one last look at Yondu's face unimpeded before she placed the ceremonial cloths over his mouth and eyes. To her right, she could hear Rocket light the candles and, for some reason, just knowing he was there made this easier.

Her heart ached when it was done, because even if he was gone, the thought of following through with the traditional Ravager funeral made her upset. She'd never see his face again, not after this.

"I told Gamora how when I was a kid I used to tell people that David Hasslehoff _was_ my dad. He's a singer and actor from Earth, a really famous guy. It never really struck me; Yondu didn't have a talking car, but he did have a flying arrow. He didn't have the voice of an angel, but he did have the whistle of one. Both Yondu and David Hasslehoff went on kickass adventures and hooked up with hot women... and fought robots. I guess David Hasslehoff did kinda end up being my dad after all. Only it was you, Yondu. I had a pretty cool dad."

Peter's voice faltered and he had to stop for a moment, but Tessa reaching to slip her hand into his helped him regain his strength.

"What I'm trying to say here is, that thing you're searching for your whole life, it's right there by your side the whole time, and you don't even know it."

Tessa wasn't one for words, at least, not this kind. She'd had to use the internet to write a eulogy for her own mother. But, in this moment, as Peter squeezed her hand and Rocket moved closer to lean against her, she knew what she wanted to say. What she hoped Yondu heard, even if he wasn't with them any longer.

"Thank you, Dad."

 ** _All the times that I cried, keeping all the things I knew inside  
It's hard, but it's harder to ignore it  
If they were right, I'd agree, but it's them they know not me  
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away  
I know I have to go_**


	13. Brandy - Looking Glass

**_There's a port on a western bay  
And it serves a hundred ships a day  
Lonely sailors pass the time away  
And talk about their homes_**

"Seriously? You're going to do this right now?"

Tony held back an eye roll as he threw back his scotch and put the glass down on the table with more force than necessary. The passive aggressive comments and actions that had been flowing between the couple all day had extended into the night, even when they tried to have a peaceful time out on the seaside deck.

"How do you expect me to deal with your bullshit without it?" He asked, feeling no real emotional response to the hurt that displayed across his wife's face.

"How do you expect me to deal with _your_ bullshit, Anthony?" She replied "We can't have a single second of time as a family without you drinking yourself to a blackout."

"Celine—" Tony started, only to be cut off.

"Don't 'Celine' me," she hissed "I don't want to hear your—your _rationality_ behind why you think it's okay to constantly be plastered around our daughter."

"Theresa doesn't care," Tony said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Maybe not right now," Celine said spat "But, she'll remember this. She'll remember that her father was a perpetual drunk throughout her entire childhood. And she'll remember it while talking to a therapist."

Tony didn't hold back this eye roll and didn't care how Celine huffed at his response.

"Theresa," His tone deadpanned "Are you going to have serious psychological problems because I like to have a few?"

There was no response, which both adults had kind of been expecting. When the six year old sensed that what she was being asked was driving a further wall between her parents, she just didn't reply at all.

"You can answer, H—" Celine's words were cut short when she turned to see that Theresa was no longer sitting in the seat a little bit behind the two adults. For half a second, she panicked, but she soon saw that the young girl was just on the other side of the deck.

"Theresa," Tony called, but she didn't move from her position; her arms crossed on the boundary around the deck with her chin resting on them. He hopped up and walked over to where she stood, still not receiving any attention from her. But, he realized that was because she was too far lost in what she was doing.

She was staring right up at the stars.

It was off-putting to say the least to see the usually hyperactive child just _looking._ She said nothing and made no bigger move than a blink every few seconds as she studied the night sky. Tony found himself emulating her position to see if maybe there was a UFO or something. But, there was nothing other than shining spots of light.

"Hey," he said, shaking Theresa's shoulder and waking her up out of her trance "What're you looking at?"

She didn't answer in her characteristic hyper-verbal manner. She just held her arms out in the air to gesture to all of what they could see in the darkness. Tony couldn't help but throw a look back to his wife, who returned it with one of equal confusion as she rose from her seat.

"How about we go inside?" Celine said, her concern plain in her voice.

"Yeah," Tony agreed before mumbling under his breath "Don't want to lose you to whatever the hell you were looking at."

Celine sent him a dirty look as the Starks reentered their home.

 ** _And there's a girl in this harbor town  
And she works layin' whiskey down  
They say "Brandy, fetch another round"  
She serves them whiskey and wine_**

"Say, Anderson, where is your blushing bride-to-be?"

John could hear the heavy cynicism in Thurston's voice but chose to not point it out; their fathers were business partners and no good would come of picking a fight. He instead chose to take a quick survey of the room where the cocktail portion of his parent's dinner party was occurring only to find that he couldn't spot Theresa anywhere.

"I'm not sure," John said "She must have stepped out for a moment."

"If she's anything like her father, she'll be stepping out quite a bit," Edmonds murmured, gaining a few snickers from the other young men and a disapproving look from John.

"Ignore him," Thurston said "It's just wishful thinking."

"My wishful thinking is that she drops Anderson here because she's madly in love with me," Edmonds countered.

"Why? Have you inexplicably fallen in love with her despite never exchanging more than a few words?" Thurston asked.

"Of course not," Edmonds said, sounding legitimately offended "She's Stark's successor. Do you think Johnny-Boy hasn't realized that?"

"I'm going to go find her," John said a bit abruptly before moving through the crowd of business men and their wives. He didn't like to be put on spot about stuff like that. Because, yes, it was true that his original interest in Theresa had stemmed purely from her last name and he was still pleased to have snagged the eldest Stark daughter, but… They were compatible. And it was nice to be with a person like him; someone who wanted complete stability and shared the same values.

As John considered all this, his eyes scanned the crowd for the familiar blonde hair in an elegant up-do, but instead they landed on a familiar dark hair that was attached to a man who was entertaining quite a few people around him.

"Mr. Stark."

The billionaire turned and grinned in a way that gave John a hint to his blood alcohol content. He clapped him on the shoulder and shook him slightly before he spoke.

"There's my future son-in-law. Just talking about you, Kid."

Yep.

Definitely hammered.

"Lovely," John said, wanting to get out of this conversation as quick as possible "Have you seen Theresa?"

"Yeah, she was walking that way," Tony said, waving his hand that held a glass of something undoubtedly strong.

"Okay, thank you, Mr. Stark," John said, maneuvering out of Tony's grip and heading in the general direction that he'd pointed in, even though he knew there was nothing that direction, except for-.

John paused as he took in the sight of a familiar blonde up-do that was separated from him by a glass door.

Theresa was out on the balcony.

"What're you doing out here?" He asked after sliding the door open and poking his head out. Theresa didn't reply and as John took a step outside he wondered if he'd done something to upset her.

Even when he stood next to her, she didn't acknowledge his presence and instead kept her eyes turned upward towards the stars. Only when John spoke her name a little louder and shook her arm did she snap out of it and look at him.

"Sorry," she murmured after a moment "I didn't notice you."

"What had you so enthralled?" John asked and instead of saying anything, Theresa just raised her arms and swept them out. John looked up to see the same night sky as always; there was nothing that should've grabbed her attention _that_ much.

"Come back to the party," John said, wrapping his hand around her arm "I'll get you a glass of water."

Mr. Anderson sent future Mrs. Anderson a concerned look as he steered her back inside.

 ** _The sailor said "Brandy, you're a fine girl" (you're a fine girl)  
"What a good wife you would be" (such a fine girl)  
"But my life, my love, and my lady is the sea"_**

"Look at you!"

Maria giggled at the way her new dress puffed out as she twirled, which was something that made Pepper smile. It was the last minute checks the night before and to Pepper's relief, Maria's pink flower girl dress fit _perfectly._ Now all she had to worry about was everything else that would inevitably go wrong tomorrow.

"Alright, Sweetheart, put your pajamas back on. It's time for bed," Pepper said, thinking about all the arrangements she still had to make sure were running smoothly before she too could sleep.

"Can I show Theresa?" Maria asked, Pepper sighing but smiling indulgently.

"Okay, but only for a few minutes." Before she finished, Maria was already headed off "And don't wake her up if she's sleeping!"

Maria hardly heard that last part and she made it to Theresa's room in no time. She knocked on the closed door and waited only a few seconds before pushing it open, but instead of seeing her sister sat at her desk or asleep in her bed, she was standing with half her body practically hanging out the open window.

Maria stepped forward quietly, trying to figure out what she was _doing_ exactly. Was she trying to climb out or something? But, no, that couldn't be it; she was going out the wrong way if that was it. Besides, she wasn't looking down, she was looking up.

Maria looked down to see how Theresa was supporting herself by holding onto the sill and the young girl hesitantly reached forward and tapped her a few times. Thankfully, that was all it took to get Theresa to duck back inside.

"You look cute," she offered as if nothing strange had been happening.

"What were you doing?" Maria asked, her brow furrowed as she tried to figure it out herself. Theresa said nothing and instead gestured with one arm to the sparkling darkness. Maria moved and positioned her body very similar to Theresa's so she too could look out at the night.

But, no matter how hard and how desperate she looked, she was unable to see what her sister saw in the stars.

"Alright, come on."

Both of the Stark sisters jumped and turned to see Pepper in the doorway. Maria regretfully pulled herself away from her spot at the window and sent Theresa an apologetic look.

The elder Stark just smiled and waved as the younger Stark left the room with Pepper.

 ** _Brandy wears a braided chain  
Made of finest silver from the North of Spain  
A locket that bears the name  
Of a man that Brandy loved_**

"So, you two are totally dating, right?"

Rocket rolled his eyes and threw back half of his drink as Peter smiled a shit-eating grin.

"None of your business, Quill," Rocket warned, but Peter wasn't one to heed those.

"Have you taken her out on a date?" He asked, still smiling "Is _this_ supposed to be a date? Because, if it is, you should know that most dates don't consist of the guy at the bar trying to blackout while the chick is outside stargazing."

"Quill, seriously," Rocket warned again, but Peter pushed on.

"Do you even find Tess physically attractive? You're two _totally_ different species. You aren't going to ditch her for a sexy otter or anything, right?"

"Quill—."

"Hey, how do you two even kiss? That seems like it would be really—."

Rocket moved quicker than anyone at the bar could see and Peter found himself looking down the barrel of a gun.

"Quill, if you don't shut the _fuck up!"_

The Terran sent him a guilty smile in an attempt to ease the tension and he raised his hand to get the bartender's attention, who must see a lot of violence in this place going off of how nonchalant he was.

"One of whatever he was drinking and a Bloody Kree."

Rocket slowly lowered his gun and sent Peter a look that told him not to push it as he returned it to its holster. The bartender placed the drinks down in front of him and Rocket sent Peter a look as he gestured to the murky black drink he'd ordered.

"It's Tessa's favorite," Peter explained, sliding it over to Rocket "I'm trying to help you be a good boyfriend, here."

Rocket rolled his eyes and mumbled obscenities but he snatched both glasses off of the bar and hopped down off the stool before he headed towards the side of the bar that was situated outside.

"Go get her, Tiger!" Peter called, gaining another eye roll from Rocket.

He had a little bit of difficulty weaving through the crowd but he managed to make it through with minimum spillage. He finally made it to where a stone barrier blocked off the outdoor seating and he caught sight of a familiar Terran woman sitting on it.

"Wanna drink, Blondie?" Rocket asked, Tessa not responding when he put the drink down next to her "You're welcome."

When she still didn't answer, Rocket pulled himself up so he was sitting next to her and took a good look at her face. She was looking up into the purple night sky with so much intensity Rocket considered just leaving her alone. But, his selfish want for her attention won out, and he gently shook her arm.

"Hey, Blondie," he said, the Terran finally looking away and down to Rocket, who sent her a small smile "Never seen an atmo like this one?"

"No, I have," Tessa said, quieter than what Rocket was used to her being "Oh, thanks for the drink."

She took a sip and looked back up to the lavender atmosphere without saying another word. This time, Rocket didn't break her concentration and instead joined her.

Both Tessa and Rocket stared up at the sky that somehow changed the color of the universe, but still showed the sparkling stars.

 ** _He came on a summer's day  
Bringin' gifts from far away  
But he made it clear he couldn't stay  
No harbor was his home_**

"How's your arm?"

Tessa was broken out of whatever trance she'd gone under while staring out the front of the ship and she looked over at Rocket, who was standing an awkward distance between the piloting seats and the door. For a second, a heavy silence filled the air between the two as both considered all the words they'd said in the last day or so. Finally, Tessa replied.

"It's okay," she said quietly "It doesn't hurt."

"That's good," Rocket muttered, shuffling uncomfortably. Tessa leaned over so she could pat on the unoccupied seat and Rocket huffed in relief before walking over to plop down in it "Talk to Quill?"

"Yeah," Tessa confirmed "Just—Just about… not…"

Rocket nodded in understanding and didn't push her to go on about the painful emotions she was feeling right now. Instead, it fell silent between the pair for a minute as both tried to figure out where exactly to go from here. After everything that had happened, both before and after Tessa had left with Ego… Neither one of them knew how to express how they felt.

Tessa looked up from where her hand attached to her unbroken arm was fiddling with the hem of her shirt when Rocket hopped off his seat and closed the distance between them. She swiveled the chair to face him and once he was right in front of her, he stopped and looked up from where he'd been staring at something in his hands.

"Here."

Tessa frowned in confusion as Rocket held out one of his paws and she caught sight of what was resting in it.

"Rocket, why—?" Tessa cut herself off as she tried to fathom why Rocket was trying to return her wedding gift.

"I figure you want it back, but feel weird or somethin' about askin' for it," he answered bluntly as Tessa quickly picked up on the fact he was putting up a strong front, but it wasn't like that under his exterior "So, here. Take it."

"Rocket, I don't want it back," Tessa answered honestly and he scoffed in disbelief "And I know you don't want to give it back because you gave a whole big speech about being in love with me. So, unless that was a lie—."

"God, Blondie, course it ain't a lie," Rocket replied "I'm just tryin' to give it back because I'm thinkin' you don't want the guy who can't do nothin' right keep your dead mom's wedding ring."

"Rocket, that's not true and you know it," Tessa said, Rocket once again bitterly laughing at her words.

"I made you cry, Tess. Don't think I didn't notice."

It was quiet for a moment as both Guardians took a deep breath and tried to figure out what on Earth to say next. It was finally Tessa who spoke.

"Yeah, you did make me cry," she murmured, Rocket humming in agreement as he stared at his feet "Are you going to apologize?"

"Is that gonna change anything?" Rocket asked, Tessa shrugging with one shoulder.

"I think it'll probably make you feel better."

"… I'm sorry, Tess. I shouldn'ta said what I said," Rocket offered quietly, Tessa smiling slightly.

"I forgive you. I know why you did," she said before snorting without any humor "In fact, you were kinda right."

"Watchya mean?" Rocket asked, tilting his head.

"Peter did try to take me from you," Tessa said, Rocket throwing her uncertain looks.

"Did it work?" He asked hesitantly, Tessa throwing him a full smile this time.

"Not even for a second."

 ** _The sailors say: "Brandy, you're a fine girl" (you're a fine girl)  
"What a good wife you would be" (such a fine girl)  
"But my life, my lover, my lady is the sea"_**

"I am Groot."

The couple reluctantly broke eye contact and moved a little bit apart as they both turned to look at the baby that stood in the doorway. Groot was clearly dejected due to the events that had occurred and he slowly walked over to where the adults were waiting. Instead of saying anything, he just wrapped his arms around Tessa's ankle and she couldn't help the watery chuckle that left her lips.

"Come here, Baby," she murmured, gently lifting him and placing him on her shoulder. In turn, he cuddled up into her hair and gave an awful big sigh for such a tiny creature "How are you?"

"I am Groot," he replied in a small voice, Tessa reaching up to gently caress his cheek.

"I know," she replied as he looked at her with wide eyes.

"I am Groot," he added, Rocket feeling his heart grow heavy at the grief in Groot's words.

"Yeah?" Tessa said in a gentle encouragement.

"I am Groot," he went on, Rocket wondering if maybe he should translate all of this for Tessa "I am Groot. I am Groot."

"Mhm?"

"I am Groot. I am Groot. I am Groot. I am Groot," he finished out, his voice getting smaller and smaller with each sentence until it was barely a whisper. Rocket opened his mouth to translate, but before he could get a syllable out, Tessa spoke.

"I know you're sad and that it hurts, but I promise that it's going to get better. And I promise that Rocket and I will be here for you no matter what. We aren't going to leave you," Tessa said, Rocket surprised at how _apt_ that was for what Groot had been saying. It was perfe-.

"And, for what it's worth, Mama missed you too."

 ** _Yeah, Brandy used to watch his eyes  
When he told his sailor stories  
She could feel the ocean fall and rise  
She saw its ragin' glory  
But he had always told the truth, Lord, he was an honest man  
And Brandy does her best to understand_**

"Theresa, what the f—?"

Before Rocket could finish his sentence, all three pairs of eyes were drawn to the window and out into the darkness. But, that was being covered by the appearance of a multitude of ships. For half a second, Tessa wondered if they were about to have another fight, but she soon recognized the markings on one of the closer ones and she felt her heart stop in her chest.

"I sent word about what Yondu did," Rocket said lowly, confirming what Tessa had realized.

The Ravagers came.

She slid off her seat and was vaguely aware of the others around her as she walked closer to the window. And, just as Yondu had described to her all those years ago, each crew sent out their flare and colors lit up the universe. All she could do was watch in awe as Yondu got what he deserved: a true Ravager's funeral.

A few tears made their way down her cheeks, but she didn't pay it much mind. Maybe just this once Yondu would've been okay with her being soft.

She gently lowered herself down so she was sitting cross legged next to Rocket, who was sniffling slightly as well, but she didn't look over to confirm that he was crying. She instead kept her eyes locked on the sparkling colors that lit up the universe.

All around her, she could feel the movements of her family. She could feel how Peter and Gamora moved in closer and wrapped their arms around each other. She could feel how Drax put his hand on Mantis's shoulder in a gentle reassurance of her place with them. She could feel how Groot was leaning against her more as he began to drift off. But, she didn't look away from the stars to see any of it happen.

Instead, Tessa tore her eyes away from the galaxy to lean in close to Rocket and whisper something only the two of them could hear.

 ** _The sailor said: "Brandy, you're a fine girl" (you're a fine girl)  
"What a good wife you would be" (such a fine girl)  
"Yeah, your eyes could steal a sailor from the sea"_**

"I love you."


End file.
